As Far As We Can Get
by HelenaHills
Summary: Seto Kaiba never really believed in anything, stating he was never scared of anything. But those who fear nothing, love nothing, and that's not the case here. Mercy comes with the form of two sea-green eyes. Humor, friendship, and... rated for a reason!
1. Default chapter

AS FAR AS WE CAN GET

**_A/N: _**I so do not own Yu-gi-Oh or W.I.T.C.H. Attention: for reading this story, knowing W.I.T.C.H. isn't necessary.

**AS FAR AS WE CAN GET**

Tea spoon herself, just a few inches above the floor. She felt divine, godly. This was her life: Dancing.

The music echoed inside her ears, sending waves of conception through her mind. Her body gladly obeyed, she left herself to be lost in the rhythm. She felt nothing; yet, she felt everything. The music, the lights, the air touching her brown locks, the earth steady against her light footsteps, while she was hardly touching the ground. Yes. This was her life. This was dancing. This was magic.

But, unfortunately, every good thing has, sometime, to come to an end. As the music started to slow down, she felt herself coming back… to Earth. Now she could hear the voices of the other people that were surrounding her in her dancing school class, giving her congratulations for the impeccable performance. But only one opinion mattered for her: That of her teacher, Kevin Johnson, one of the top dancers of the world.

She saw him approaching, and she slightly felt nervous; What if he didn't like it?

But Kevin Johnson smiled. He had never, ever said a bad thing for a single young dancer. And he wasn't going to change that now, or never. "Congratulations, Tea. Your performance was simply perfect. We will be glad to see you in our main performance in Julliard: We should just teach them how to dance, shall we not?"

Tea felt the urge to hop so high in the air, so that she could reach the ceiling. She had passed! She had passed! She was an official dancer! One of the best! She had finally made it!

Then, Kevin Johnson turned to the other students: " As for the others, don't be disappointed. There's always next year. And I thought of showing you my best creation ever in dancing: Now you can see how experienced and confident, but also explosive and charming at the same time. Please, welcome Taranee Cook!"

A black woman then just walked inside the class. She had really short, black hair, and brown eyes. Her body was simply non comparable. It was well toned and it seemed experienced; Tea wondered how old was she – probably, they were at the same age.

But then, she started dancing, and Tea lost herself again, this time at the show in front of her. This… this girl, was all she wanted to be! She was… she was…

…Fire. Complete fire. The ideal dancer.

When her performance was over, Taranee approached Johnson. " Well, Kevin, I think the possibilities of winning the world championship are really high. I saw Tea later; She rocks! Don't worry babe, we have the prize in our pocket." She wasn't tired at all!

"You think so?" Johnson smiled. "Well then, I'm satisfied. I'll see you later, Taranee."

"You betcha!" Taranee smiled back, waving as Johnson was walking out of the class, along with the rest of the students. Then, she turned to Tea.

"Congratulations." She said. "You are going to be a really good dancer – in fact, you already are one."

"Th-Thanks." Tea stammered.

"You know," Taranee continued, "I'm waiting my friends to go out and get a coffee. Do you want to hang out with us?"

And such, before she knew it, Tea found herself completely comfortable with the black girl in front of her. They walked down the street, until the small coffeehouse near the corner. They sat down, waiting for Taranee's friends, and they talked and talked about everyone and everything: Academics, dancing, fashion, friendship, and boys… Tea was as happy as she was when she hung out with the guys in Domino. When she finished high school, and she was denied entering Julliard, she moved to Heatherfield, in Kevin Johnson's school. And now, two years after, she had apparently done great. Now, she had a new friend. She was also kinda wondering how Taranee's friends would be like.

She didn't have to wait long. Fifteen minutes later, the door of the coffeehouse opened widely, and five girls at Tea's and Taranee's age walked in. When they saw Taranee, they waved and walked to their direction.

Tea sat in shy silence when they exchanged hugs, until one of them, a sweet Chinese girl, referred to her: "Hey! And you? Who are you?" She asked her kindly.

"Hello." Tea replied coolly. "My name's Tea Gardner, I'm from Kevin Johnson's school…"

"The best dancer in there!" Taranee cut her off, smiling widely. "Tea is gonna come with me next month in Julliard!"

"This is so great!" Exclaimed the redhead of the group. "I'm so happy for you. I hope you will cope just fine."

"Don't hope. Be sure." Said the girl with the chestnut hair. She wore sunglasses; Tea wondered how her eyes would be.

"Hm, Irma, really… you're lacking smart comebacks, lately." The blond girl commented sarcastically. "Not that I'm not perfectly fine with it…" Irma just shrugged.

"Anyway, you just gave me my perfect next article!" Stated the only girl who hadn't spoken yet; She had short black hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes. Though she was the tallest, she reminded Tea of a cat. "Dancers and Magic! Do you imagine it?"

"Okay…" Taranee smiled again. "But we forgot the introductions! Tea, this is Wilhelmina Vandom…"

"Friends call me Will." The redhead cot her short. "In fact, everybody calls me Will."

"…And she's a young science-fiction writer." Taranee continued. "Here's Irma Lair… She still attends university for being a vet…" The brown haired girl nodded, and took her sunglasses in her hand. Tea made an effort not to let her jaw drop; Her eyes were _amazing!_ They were big and they had a sea green color, so you couldn't decide whereas they were blue or green. It was then that Tea started to suspect something; this group of girls was so… eerie. What was going on?

"Cornelia Hale…" Taranee continued, and the blond girl winked, "She works at our forest service and security… Hay Lin," The Chinese girl waved, "She is a hostess… Rebecca Rudolf, or just Orube…" The cat – like girl smiled, "Is a journalist. Welcome to our world!"

"I'm pleased to meet you!" Tea replied. Now she felt again totally comfortable.

The hours passed, and the seven girls never stopped to chitchat. Tea was interested in everything – and they all were eager to inform her. The topics from books, music, movies, boys and fashion were inexhaustible. Everyone voiced her opinion, her approval, disapproval, or neutral stand.

Everyone… except one.

Tea noticed that Irma wasn't as cheerful as the others. But she didn't know a thing about her, so she decided not to ask. However, as the time was passing, Tea started to get worried.

"Irma…? What's the matter with you?"

That was Will's voice. Tea sighed, relieved; She was ready to ask that herself.

Irma struggled a little, but then she sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm leaving Heatherfield." She finally said, with a bitter voice.

All the small talks stopped immediately, thus her words were followed by complete silence. The tension in the air was so thick, that you could cut it with a knife. Tea reminded herself that she should feel awkward; but she didn't at all. Just worried.

"You're… Why?" Hay Lin asked, astounded.

"My father… he got a promotion. Along with a transportation. I asked him to follow him, and he accepted." The lump in Irma's voice didn't want to back down. _Stupid eyes,_ she thought,_ why do they have to water?_

"Why do you…" But then Hay Lin's eyes widened, like she had just understood something. She lowered her head. Tea was startled; what did that mean?

"Where will you go?" Will finally asked, sadly.

"Oh, Domino City…" Irma answered, trying to sound careless. "That's okay. I know it's far away, but I can manage… I'll continue university there… It shouldn't be a big problem…"

"No, it won't be. In fact, nothing will be!" Tea stood up, grinning with determination. "And you know what? Because I _live_ in Domino! You will get a house, a job and a friends team in no time!"

Irma looked completely confused. "Are you pulling my leg or something?"

"No! Of course no!" Tea winked. "Come on! When do you have to leave?"

"In a couple of hours…" Irma's face was starting to lit up.

"You mean with my flight! Come on! We are late!" Tea grabbed Irma by her wrist, and after exchanging farewells with the rest of the girls, they started almost running to grab also their suitcases and catch a cab to go to the airport.

"Thanks, Tea." Irma stated warmly with immense gratitude, when they finally, after a long - long run, got on the plane.

"You don't have to. I always help my friends!" Tea grinned with glee. "You will like Heatherfield, I swear. And my friends are all cool guys, too."

"Guys?" Irma felt the urge to giggle.

"Well… not _all _of them. But most of them!" Hey! So what if they were guys!

"Oh, I see…" Irma let herself relax. Then, she looked outside the window, as the plane was taking off. She could see the sea… it's depths… it's color…

_What is in store for me where I'm going?_ She wondered, the color of the ocean still dominating her thoughts.

_**A/N: **_ I'm apologizing for the fast plot, or the too many unknown faces, but it was necessary to understand the next chapters, when action starts. If you liked it, review it, if not, do not. Though constructive criticism is appreciated, flames are not, so, if you don't like it, there is no reason to be mean. Thanks for reading.


	2. Domino

A/N: I so do not owe Yu-Gi-oh and W

**A/N: **I so do not owe Yu-Gi-oh and W.I.T.C.H.

Chapter 2: Domino

"Aaaarghh… EARTH!"

"Why _the heck_ didn't you tell me you had such a huge phobia with heights?!" Tea yelled, ticked off. Fact was, when Irma got in the plane and shot that distant look to the ocean beneath, sometime, she realized that _this_ was a _plane, _hovering over God knows how many feet above the Earth. Thus…

"I had forgotten it!" Irma cried out, leaning to kiss the ground, when Tea grabbed her by her jacket and shot her up. But Irma continued: "I was too depressed to think about the flight! Heights, heights… I hate heights!!" She exclaimed.

"That didn't stop you from getting crazy all along!!" Tea continued the lecture, fuming. "I was worried sick! There were moments I thought you wouldn't survive the flight! Next time, remind me not to bring my cd player along! Your teeth gave an excellent concert, you know how? Trembling!!"

Irma took some deep breaths. "I'm fine." She reminded herself. "I'm fine, I'm fine… I'm fine!" She finished, smiling weakly, as a hint of humor. "So fine, I can get back in business… HEY CAB!" She suddenly yelled, making a cab to stop and she dragged a still fuming Tea inside.

Twenty minutes later, they were standing in the middle of Domino City.

"Wow…" Irma simply stated, looking up to the latest technology buildings that were surrounding her, like castles of the future. "So, this is Domino?"

"Exactly." Tea replied happily. "And soon enough, you'll meet my friends."

"Tea, I don't know this is a good idea… I mean, I barely know _you_…" Irma seemed apprehensive.

"I don't want to hear non-senses… HEY, YUGI!" Tea almost squealed, running towards a group of some really weird people, in Irma's opinion. As Tea had previously done, Irma stood where she was, silently, watching the others exchanging hugs and kisses. But she noticed them all; a blond with baggy clothes, whom Tea called Joey, a brunette who had his hair like a rhino's horn, named Tristan, a black haired one, who had dices for ear-rings, named Duke, a short, probably younger than them, kid, who had a mop of black hair, named Mokuba, a blond bimbo, whose name was Mai, and a short man with _the weirdest_ haircut she had ever seen in her whole life, the one Tea had called Yugi! Noticing also how interested Tea was in him and how he didn't understand anything at all, she stifled a giggle.

"Hey, Tea!" Irma decided to say at last, smiling genuinely. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Right!" Tea remembered, sticking off Yugi's side, at last. The rest of them looked at Irma with kind observation. "Well, guys, let me present all of you Irma Lair! You know I was attending Kevin Johnson's Dance School, so there I met her friend, Taranee, and so we met. She came to Domino because her father, who is a police officer, got promoted and they transported him here, thus she'll stay with us from now on. Irma, let me introduce you Yugi Moto, Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, Duke Devlin, Mai Valentine, Mokuba Kaiba…"

"You need guts to hang so soon around her, kid!" Irma laughed playfully, addressing to Mokuba. "You should hear the lecture she gave me when we got at the airport; does she do that a lot?"

"YES!" Joey, Tristan and Duke said immediately. Tea shot them a fake glare. Mokuba laughed.

"Wow, Tea, you do know how to make good and new friendships quickly!" He said gleefully, with a huge grin plastered in his little face. Irma instinctively smiled back; that kid was adorable! He didn't look anything like her little devil-brother, Christopher.

"Even if they are completely useless, most of the time." A cold voice sounded behind Irma, making her chill. She turned, only to come face to face with the producer of the arrogant voice. For being more precise, face to chest, because that was where she was to him. He was so tall…

"…And Seto Kaiba, Mokuba's big brother." Finished Tea weakly. Irma surveyed him with her eyes; Gods, he was so… cold, intimidating… but also so…

"I'm here only to leave Mokuba, Gardner. I don't care about such unimportant matters as your acquaintances." He stated harshly, shutting the space for furthermore questions.

…Antipathetic!

"Excuse me, _what exactly_ is your problem?" She asked him fiercely, making straight eye contact with his cobalt eyes… nice eyes… cold eyes… mocking eyes… Their glares rivaled one another.

"What problem? You mean, another one except the annoying fact that you're standing in front of me?" _Another member of that damned geek squad…_He thought._ Probably with the same stupid theories about friendship, and the same IQ rate: zero. Another annoying fly near my head… just great!_

"If you don't like the view, Seto Kaiba, you might as well turn around!" Irma said after two minutes, until she had her voice back. That man almost – no, that man didn't _totally_ know a damn thing about her, how did he dare to talk to her that way? She was beyond furious, and being two years earlier, she would have beaten the life out of him!

Seto saw her reaction and smirked. Irma frowned; _what is that bastard smirking at?_

"I didn't say that. Perhaps you misunderstood." He mocked her, pushing her near her limits. "But I've been expecting that. Another stupid member of your pathetic team. Seems that she was idiot enough to follow you…" _Nice curves, though…_

"Seto! That's enough!" Mokuba yelled, while Yugi was scowling and Joey had started to growl. The others seem much or less indifferent. But it was Irma who took action:

"I'm attending university in Medicine, you moronic imbecile!" She had spit blood to get into that School, and she had no intention at all to let someone call her stupid, or idiot.

Kaiba's eyes had become two narrow slits. He made a step forward, so he was towering above her in full of his six feet height, and he folded his arms across his chest.

"How did you call me, Lair?"

Dead silence had fallen to the group. It was like no one was even blinking. When Irma had first come, they were speaking happily among each other; they were exchanging laughs and teases. Now… nothing.

Irma felt her blood freezing. Damn him, why did he have to be so intimidating? But there was no, _no way in frozen hell,_ that she would let him know that! She didn't intend to let him win!

"I called you 'moronic imbecile'. Do I have to spell it?"

"Hem, Irma…" Joey started saying, but she ignored him.

"Why, do you think I'm going to be afraid of you? What a laugh!" She continued, staring directly into his stormy blue eyes. "Who the hell gave you the right to insult me like this when you don't even know me?"

Seto smirked. "And you think that you do know _me_, Lair? That's why you decided to proceed on attacking?" _Intriguing… _

Irma's face softened. "No, I don't know you." She stated softly. "And I honestly don't think that I should trouble myself with it." And with those words, Irma turned around to leave, exactly in Kaiba's style. However, he grabbed her arm and made her turn and look him again.

Irma dazed out. What kind of man was he? How could one be so cruel, so scary, yet so… elegant and… hurt?! Her eyes widened in realization. _A stony face always hides pain…_

"Earth to Irma, I'm talking to you!" Seto barked suddenly, making Irma jump out of her thoughts, and literally, above the pavement. Seto huffed. "Why did you daze out like that? Are you on drugs? You should be, with that mouth of yours, anyway, you won't be alive for too long…"

"Dru… How dare you!" Irma's sea green eyes were doubled in size after this comment. _What a peculiar color they have, _Seto pondered. _Exotic…_

"I think that's enough…" Tea tried to take Irma away, but she pushed her kindly with her free hand.

"No, Kaiba. I'm not taking drugs. But now I met you, I'll definitely fall on the hard ones!" She retorted.

Stifled giggles were sound from behind, accompanied with lights smacks to make them cease. Irma didn't turn to see who it was. The only thing that mattered, now, was the response of the man in front of her…

But he, to her great surprise, had raised an elegant eyebrow, and the curves of his lips were twitching upwards… at the minimum, of course, but still. He… he was entertained! The jerk! Even if this realization filled her with rage, Irma let her body unconsciously lessen up the tense, as well as her arm in his grasp.

Seto noticed it immediately and stiffened automatically. He shouldn't let her see that he was pleased by this game. At last, a person who didn't know that he was CEO of a huge corporation, and that was confronting him openly, directly and smartly. Part of him was wondering if she would behave the same when the others told her who he was and what he has done. Something was telling him yes. But nah… she would remain cutely annoying. Oxymoron.

"Good luck in Veterinary, Lair. You'll definitely need it, with a mind like that in your little head. Mokuba, call me when you want." He said, letting her arm go and turning to go away.

But Irma felt like she had just been slapped.

Kaiba was already fairly away, when she remembered something. "Hey, Kaiba!" She yelled at him. "How did you know that I'm studying in Veterinary? I didn't say something like that!"

He didn't even turn. He just stopped for a while, just to give a soon, evil laugh, and then he continued his way. It took her a little time to connect the dots.

"I'll…I'll… I'LL KILL HIM!" How dare he insult her friends!

"Calm down! Breath, remember your career! It isn't worth to destroy everything because of Kaiba, he's just… Kaiba! It isn't worth it!" Joey tried to logic her, in an also desperate try with Tristan, while the one was holding her from her shoulders, the other from her waist, to prevent her from bolting towards Kaiba.

"Let me go! I'll teach him a lesson he'll remember for a long, long time!" She continued.

"It isn't worth it, we're assuring you!" Tristan insisted. But so did Irma:

"I don't care! I'll hung him, I'll poison him, I'll slaughter him…"

"Uh, Irma… I understand that Seto can be really harsh most of the time, but…"

Irma turned to face a sad Mokuba, and she instantly was filled with guilt for her behavior and rage about that of Kaiba's. How could he worry his little brother like this?

"Oh, Mokuba, I'm so sorry. I just lost control for a while… Okay, for a long, but you have to admit that your brother is really talented at pissing off people! Are you sure you are relatives?" Irma tried to apologize, still puffing.

"Very sure and very proud! Even if I could, I would never change anything, not in my brother!" Mokuba answered determined, still in defense.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I insulted you… I always do that, I'm trying to apologize, and then I'm making a complete mess…" And that was true.

Mokuba's face lit up again. "Don't think about it. It's okay."

"Besides, I think that it is time that you learn some things about all of us… and Kaiba." Yugi interfered. "We'll tell you all of our story."

"Could we at least tell her in the coffeehouse? I've started to get…" Joey started.

"…Hungry, we know." Mai added, half boringly, half amusingly.

"Telling the truth, I'm really hungry too!" Irma said, rubbing her stomach. "So? Any good place to eat?"

"Now you're speaking our language!" Tristan said, grabbing her arm with his. "There's an amazing little store right down this road…"

"Tsk, tsk, none is acting like this with _ladies_, Tristan! You have to be gentler. My lady… please." Duke said, offering Irma his arm. His eyes were playing on things like that; he had checked Irma since he first saw her, her nice curved, trained body, with the red top and jeans, her slender neck, her silky chestnut hair, which was reaching her upper back, her full lips, her straight nose, and, most importantly, her gorgeous sea green eyes. Irma, unaware of that, giggled before she took his arm and held both of them, (his and Tristan's) next to both of her body sides.

"Something tells me that we'll get along very well, guys!" She told them, and she ran towards the direction they showed her, dragging them along. The rest of the group followed laughing, with Joey and Mokuba teasing each other, Tea and Mai 'gossiping' that Duke and Tristan had just found another victim now that Serenity was far away for her college studies, and Yugi pondering about the new member of their group.

And, for some unknown reason, before they turn to the corner, Irma felt the urge to turn around and look back, towards a particular direction. She didn't know why she did this. She wondered tensely about it a little, but the moment she decided to let it go, it struck her.

It was the direction Kaiba had left.

**A/N: **So action starts. I hope this chapter was far more interesting than the previous one. Send me reviews, (No flames, we've talked about that) And I promise to make the next ones better. Bye!


	3. Coffehouses and Swats

A/N: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh

**A/N: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! And W.I.T.C.H… Man, this thing is getting old… Oh, and neither "Pride and Prejudice."

Chapter 3: Coffeehouses and Swats

Seto Kaiba walked, as always, expressionless, in his modern and expensive office of his mansion. He looked at his watch. In two hours he would have to go and get Mokuba from the geek squad, and in two and a half he had an important meeting to attend. One hour was enough for him to complete the work that was to be done in his laptop. Without much thinking, he sat down and finished it in no time.

And now?

He had a free hour, something too rare to happen to him on a usual day. Hm, now what to do? He wasn't the type who would play flipper on his computer just to 'kill his time'. He hated that phrase, anyway. The only thing it meant for him was 'I'm leaving my life passing by pointlessly.' And Seto Kaiba always utilized what was given to him.

He stood up and got near the bookcase in the wall beside him. A nice book was just perfect for him to make this free time productive. He picked up one casually.

"Pride and Prejudice." That was the title.

Seto Kaiba laughed from the inside. This was one of his favorite books, mainly because the protagonist was reminding him so much of himself. Smart, rich, arrogant, with countless love about his little sibling. But no, he had to fall in love with an audacious babbler, to whom he would even propose, but she would have the nerve to turn him down! So what if they got together and there was a happy ending? Once and twice, his dignity had been lost!

_But he was happy in the end…_A tiny little voice whispered in his mind.

Kaiba threw the book at the nearby couch, furious. _Ridiculous!_ How could a man like that fall in love with such a woman? But anyway, he himself didn't actually know such a woman. For being precise, the only women he knew, besides the call girls and his employees, were only four. And maybe, sure, Gardner had guts, and a body, and a face, she wasn't audacious. She was talking to him only when she had to, and she never had really insulted him. Valentine and Ishizu Ishtar were at the same wavelength. There was also Wheeler's sister, who was pretty, but she had no guts. Kaiba was wondering how did that happen, because Wheeler had indeed guts. What he lacked, was some brains. _As well as the rest of them in this absurd geek squad, who even had now a new member in their pathetic team…_

Suddenly, Kaiba froze. He did know another one…

"_I honestly don't think that I should trouble my self into knowing you…"_

"_No, I don't take drugs, but now I met you, I'll definitely fall on the hard ones!"_

Lair! Of course, if _she_ wasn't such an audacious entity! They had seen each other only for ten minutes, and it was enough to get close to a fistfight! And he wasn't blind, objectively, she was cute… very cute… gorgeous…

Bullshit!

And with that final thought, he got out of his office, slamming the door behind him at the process. However, an indeed devilish smile had formed on his lips: thanks to those thoughts, he had found a way to make Lair more than furious.

Oh, wouldn't he have so much fun…

"Joey, that's enough! If you continue, we'll be eaten too, in no time!"

"Oh, Tea, give me a rest please! I'm honoring the new member of our team!"

"Yes, admire him and his really newfound techniques of doing so!" Mai scoffed.

"Honestly, Joey, with all this food, I'm wondering why haven't you become like an ox yet!" Tristan pointed out. But Irma laughed.

"Oh, guys, let him eat! Don't you see how hungry he is? I used to eat that lot too." She took Joey's side.

"Kidding!" Duke exclaimed. "Then how did you got such a nice body?"

"Er, thanks Duke, I lost much weight with my entering exams in university, and from then on I decided to slow it down. It did good on me." Irma wouldn't like them, in fact, anyone, to learn how chubby she was when she was little.

"Indeed." Yugi said, blushing. Mokuba noticed that, so he decided to save him from that difficult position.

"Well, Irma, you didn't tell us, how were things in Heatherfield? Did you have a nice time?" He asked her, while Tea was glaring daggers at Yugi – who, as usual, didn't notice anything.

Irma shot him a distant look, before answering. "It was just fine. I was in another team; there were six of us, six girls. Me, Will, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin and Rebecca. And… let's say we were always getting in trouble. But always, somehow, we were finding a way to make through. Recently, however… we took a decision, which would save us permanently of those… troubles. I'll tell you this: I didn't agree. But I was the only one, so I decided to just swallow it. Then, I dedicated myself completely in school, thing that until then I didn't like at all, but I did it and got in Veterinary. Then my father got promoted here (he's gonna come tomorrow, though he will be at the other side of the city) and I decided to move in Domino. I want to escape from my past, and have a new, all over start. I'm going to attend classes in this city's university, and for making through it, for now, I've found a job in an aquarium with dolphins, I have everything arranged from phone. Thankfully, I met Tea through Taranee's dancing class, so luckily, I have you guys now." Irma smiled softly.

"I'm so glad you came here, at the end. We'll be good friends, you'll see." Yugi retorted also with a smile.

"Thanks Yugi." Irma felt the weight burning in her chest being lifted now. "Now, your story?"

"Nah, that's a big one. Unless you are interested in maniacs who suck your soul out of you…" Joey said carelessly.

Irma blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Joey, shut up!" Mai punched his arm, pretending playfully. "Don't listen to him, he's such a joker…" She said, while Joey was rubbing his poor arm.

"The truth is, he have also troubles, though…uh…nothing serious." Yugi ended. "We are occupying with Duel Monsters, does that ring a bell?"

"Hm, yes, I've heard something." Irma pouted, truing to remember. "Monster cards, magic cards, trap cards, two opponents and a battle?"

"That's right! So…"

"So, this Yugi you have in front of you is the King of Games!" Joey interrupted enthusiastically. "He never loses, he's the top duelist, the number one!"

"Thanks, Joey…" Yugi nodded, with a little bit of melancholy in his voice. It had been two years since Atem was gone, and even if he had become just like him in looks and psychology, he could never forget that it was him who had given him this title.

"I'm coming third after, Mai is fourth. And maybe Duke, if he was working a little bit more with the cards instead of the dices, he comes fifth." Joey continued.

"Thanks Joey, but I'm the inventor of the Dungeon Dices, so I don't care that much." Duke gloated.

"Oh, I got it." Irma said, laughing softly. "You're first, you're third, you're fourth… hey, and who's the second?"

There was silence for a while, until Mokuba answered: "My brother."

"Oh." Was the only thing Irma could say.

"And since we're talking about Kaiba, I think that there are some things you need to know before you talk to him again like you did today." Yugi took action.

"Excuse me! I talked to him exactly as he talked to me! I don't have anything to regret!" Irma defended herself.

"Mokuba, will you tell her, or I will?" Yugi asked him.

"I'll start…" The kid responded. "Irma, listen… when Seto was four years old, out mom died in my birth. After other four years, our dad was killed in a car accident."

"Okay, stop, I got the picture!" Irma shivered, but she didn't know there was a hell of lot more…

Mokuba continued: "We don't know if there was any other relative of us, or they were just not interested in us, fact remains that we ended up in an orphanage. We stayed there two years, lot of a time. And… life there wasn't easy. Since I was of the most little, I was constantly becoming target of the elder boys, and Seto had to confront guys with double his age and strength, to protect me. We were suffering there, even though, Seto could have left from the first month. It didn't take too long for someone to realize that he was very intelligent. What family wouldn't want a genius in it's home? But Seto was never leaving, because they wouldn't take me along. And so we waited for the right chance, which came two years after, when the CEO of the biggest military company in the country, Gozaburo Kaiba, came to the orphanage for charity purposes. Seto didn't lose a second; he challenged him in a chess game. If he won, Gozaburo would have to adopt us both. Gozaburo accepted, for he could never believe that a ten-year-old boy could win him in chess. But Seto did. From then on…"

The lumps on Mokuba's throat didn't let Mokuba go on, neither his watery eyes. Yugi took it from there: "Seto Kaiba is now the most young, rich and powerful CEO there is. He took over Gozaburo's company when he reached fifteen, and he transformed it from military to a game company. Precisely, for Duel Monsters. Gozaburo was gone. Nobody knows what really happened to him." _Not even we do for sure._

"As you realized, Duel Monsters are sometime much more than a simple card game." Mai stated. "Take me for instance – I've earned the biggest part of my fortune from Duel Monsters awards."

"That's why… that's why you're so proud when you talk about your achievements in them?" Irma asked impressed. If Duel Monsters had such power, then could she use it like the Water Element? Could she become a Guardian again?

Who was she kidding? No way. That chapter of her life was totally closed now, it was gone and it was never coming back.

"Yes, and what we want to tell you, is to avoid to call Kaiba imbecile; call him jerk, bastard: that he can take more than the previous one. Probably because he knows he is!" Joey laughed meanly with his last comment.

"Seto Kaiba has won his life thanks to his intelligence. That's why he deserves respect in that matter." Tea said.

"Okay, okay, I got it! He's smart and he has passed a lot! But that doesn't give him the right to insult us this way! Well then, if he won't respect me, I'm not going to respect him either!" Irma stated steadily.

"He is dangerous, Irma! That's what we're trying to tell you all that time! If you didn't have Mokuba with you today, and he lost control, I really don't want to think what could have happened to you!" Tristan said.

"But I didn't… I didn't saw a dangerous man today! I saw a man selfish, snob, with strong personality… but not dangerous! For a moment I even thought that he was having fun! I'm sorry, but I can't fear him!" Irma protested.

"My brother isn't bad to fear him. It's just better not to cross the line with him." Mokuba said simply.

"What he's doing really pisses me off: First he can save our lives, and then turn around and leave like nothing happened!" Joey said infuriated, throwing his punch at the table.

" 'Save your lives?' What do you mean, Joey?" Irma was surprised. _Can it be…?_

"That's nothing, don't worry about it." Duke said, sending Joey murderous glares.

"What Joey wants to say is that Kaiba, no matter how much he insists about the opposite, he could never let anything bad happen to any of us. He's always there when we need him, and he's a true friend." Yugi said.

"What is he, a split personality?" Irma sighed, then accidentally looked her watch, and shot herself up. "Oh guys, I'm sorry, I've got to go! I'm waiting for a phone call for my new essay for university!"

"That's okay, it's not like we're going to lose each other. We'll go too soon." Yugi said.

"Yes, I've told my brother to come and get me this hour." Added Mokuba.

"Well, then, see you around, folks! Bye!" She replied, and with those words, she waved and she was greeted with a "Bye!" from the seven of them. They were a big and a good team, thing rare to be found.

Then why was she feeling that someone was missing there? Oh, if that was the case, who could it be? _It wasn't like Seto Kaiba would fit… wouldn't he? I mean… he wouldn't like to. But he let his brother hung out with them. And his stepfather? Where did he go? What had he done and Seto acted so… unmercifully, as taking over his company? What was going on? And their troubles? What could they mean?_

Irma was so lost in her thoughts, and, as she was walking at the edge of the pavement, she almost fell on the opening door of a car that had just parked there.

"Sorr…" She was to say, but she stopped immediately when she came face to face with Seto Kaiba himself. _Here comes the devil…_

"Watch out where you're going, Lair, you're not going to finish Veterinary with your little mind lost beyond the Vail." Seto had to prevent himself from laughing; he didn't expect to find her again so soon and under so ideal circumstances.

"I said I was sorry, okay!" She said, already mad.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, which I never am, but you never completed the sentence." He answered smugly, folding his arms across his chest.

Irma's insides were boiling, that style of his was so… so… so…

_Sexy._

_Whaaaaat? No, it was infuriating!_

"You disappointed me, Lair, I was waiting for an answer." He told her, smirking at the stunned expression she got right after. "But it's okay…" He purred, leaning forward to whisper in her ear: "We'll meet each other again soon enough, Lair." And with that, he walked past her, giving previously a firmly swat in her cheek.

_What. Did he. Do. Just. Now. _

She let a gasp escape her lips. How… how… how could he?? Who gave him the right to touch her! Sure, it wasn't like he groped her or molested her or something, but still… Oh, but no, Seto Kaiba wasn't asking the right from anyone! He was taking it himself! The next time she would meet him, she would make sure she give him a black eye!! The jerk!!

At the meanwhile, Seto Kaiba couldn't suppress his smile. He kept bringing in his mind her expression and he wanted to erupt in a fit of laughter. That was certainly priceless. It just made his day.

_And he wouldn't mind to take it a little further… he liked her gasp, didn't he?_

The smile was soon gone from his face, replaced by a scowl. What the hell was he thinking? Lair would be the last person he would want in his bed!

Not that he couldn't easily lead her there…

Now he was totally infuriated with himself. His meeting was finished over an hour, and Lair had never left his mind for a mere second. And he knew her only about ten minutes, figures! Keeping this way, that girl would destroy him! But now, it was over. He had work to do.

And he turned to his laptop again, not sparing another single thought to the sea-green eyed girl.

Irma was lying backwards on her sofa; keep pondering about how much her life had changed in no time, again.

_Duel Monsters… monsters… traps… magic… money… corporations… __Yugi… Seto…Mokuba… __I need to know more!_ She was constantly thinking. _I need to find out what is going on… I need to learn… the past…_

_And they don't have to know it._

With that as her last thought of the day, she fell asleep right where she was.

_They don't have to know it._

**A/N: **Phew! That was a long chapter! It took me three hours to finish, it was so because Irma needs to know what's going on where she went, so, in my opinion, truly worthy was only the end, he, he! Wait until they start to dig in Seto's secrets… I'm not revealing anything yet, in three more chapters the most! Oh, and I haven't studied anything for school, and I have geometry tomorrow! Lol! I'll probably skip all of the hours except the first two, which are ancient Greek. Isn't high school great? You leave and they don't tell you anything! (If you're rudimentarily cautious, of course!)

No flames, please, read and review, pleeeease! 


	4. A Limo in Need

A/N: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh

**A/N: **Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And W.I.T.C.H., blah, blah, blah…

Chapter 3: A limo in need

"Shit, I'm going to be horribly late! Why the hell did I have to rent a house so far away university?" Irma murmured, totally pissed off. And being autumn, it was raining heavily, her umbrella had been broken by the wind, and public transports and cabs had now to mounted a strike… the result? She had to walk all the way until university, only with her jacket and it's hood to protect her! And the file she had her essay in was indeed impermeable, but for how long could it possibly resist to that heavy rain? And if water managed to get inside it, that was it, she was doomed!

But if she didn't get her essay – homework in time, she was doomed anyway.

But then again, what other choices did she have, other than continue as quickly as humanly possible her way?

Seto Kaiba was sitting comfortably at the full of leather inside of his rather big, black limo, watching the rain droplets sliding on the glass of the limo's windows. Outside there was a cataclysm. He liked this weather; it mirrored his mood, most of the time. But above all, he liked the rain's smell, which was slowly cleaning the full of exhausts atmosphere of this enormous, industrial city. What could be done, he couldn't have Kaiba Corp.'s building in the countryside… Not that he hadn't thought about it, but it wasn't practical.

His eyes slide from the droplets and started observing the people outside, noticing immediately how tired and persecuted they looked. Silently, he thanked God he was inside his warm and comfortable limo.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on a familiar brown-haired silhouette.

"Stop here." He told at his driver. "I'm being right back."

Irma was now just totally desperate. There was no way she could manage to be on time. The whole work of half a year would be in vain, even if she had already indeed hand over another essay, and with grade - points 8/10. She wouldn't be able to reach the 15 points needed to pass her class timely.

That was it, she had lost her semester…

She didn't have the time to cry. She had to keep walking until the end, even if it was too late. She had to keep running, running…

And when she thought that nothing worse in the world could happen to her, she slipped at the pavement's mud, and the file with her essay slide away of her hands. But before she could hit the ground painfully, she felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist, saving her from the nasty fall. Another hand grabbed the file, just before it touched the dirt down.

Toppling a little from the shock of the abstract fall, Irma finally managed to steady herself, while she was wondering who her savior was. Hm, not exactly, she had for sure lost her semester, but nevertheless… He had nice cologne.

And when she turned to face him, she almost fell back again.

"Careful, Lair! You'll never get timely at the university if you stumble in every step!"

_Seto Kaiba_. Of course, nothing in the world is so bad that in cannot worsen!

"Well, I'm sorry, but there was a very _gentle_ man right here, who just saved me from a rather nasty fall! Did you see him anywhere? He can't have gone too far!" She mocked.

"Ha, ha, very funny Lair." He answered dryly. "What are you doing outside with such rain?"

"Swimming!" _It doesn't concern him!_

But Kaiba leaned beside her, and before she could stop him, he had given her another swat on the cheek. "Are you in the mood of being a smartass, Lair?" He pretended asking, with an evil grin plastered on his face.

"If… if… if you _dare_ do that again, I'll rip your damn of an arm off! Did you hear me??" She threatened him, with her eyes narrow as slits, glowing dangerously. Her voice was dead serious, had not a single hint of doubt.

Kaiba chuckled. "I'd love to see you trying, Lair." Then, he saw her lowering her head. She hadn't the mood not even for a fight. Something was going on…

Then he looked again at the file in his hand.

"Listen, Lair." He said, "We both know very well that we don't have time for this. I have a company to run, and you have an essay to hand over, if I'm not mistaken. And, unfortunately, it happens to know that the deadlines of university essays are usually at 9:00. The time now is 8:50. If you just walk to university, and furthermore with that rain, there's no way you can manage it."

_Tell me something I don't know. _Irma thought, but said nothing, just stared directly in his eyes. _But he's indeed really smart._

"Come on." He simply told her. "My limo is parked at the corner."

Irma followed him without much thinking, without realizing it. If she could save her essay, every sacrifice was worth it.

The moment she stepped inside the warmth of the limousine, she felt that she had done the right thing. It was like she bathed her entire self in a hot steaming bathtub, with the scalding water caressing every inch of her body. She shuddered pleasantly at the sensation.

Seto sat beside her, at her left. He saw her closing sensually her eyes at the warmth. He forced himself to suppress a smirk.

"At university." He ordered his driver, who was a little taken aback, but he had learnt to never doubt his boss's orders. But hey, that didn't that he could take an initiative or two. The girl was cute, and sure Mr. Kaiba wanted to talk to her (and whatever else) privately. So he raised the barrier between them and him.

_Thank God he understood it, _Kaiba thought._ I should remember to give him a raise._

Irma didn't even notice it. It didn't leave the littlest impression on her. She had traveled even in her father's patrol wagon; she didn't mind a mere barrier that was preventing her from seeing the driver. She looked at Kaiba, who was looking at the other side of the car.

Why had he been so kind? Why had he followed her inside the rain? Why had he offered to drive her to the university with his limo, and literally save her butt? Why had he caught her when she slipped? And why, on holly earth, was he wearing such nice cologne?

Carefully, she started observing him all over. What had made her the last time, so stupidly, to call him sexy from the inside? Except the cologne… let's see: Tight black pants, which were demonstrating his long and strong legs… matching black boots… a silver and green belt with Kaiba Corp.'s sign on it… black shirt, which was letting you know he had rather well-toned abs… deep purple trench coat… if that wasn't a long coat – how on earth was it defying gravity? Anyway, it was displaying his broad shoulders, and its color was flattering his chocolate brown hair… Irma was sure that if she sank her fingers in it, they would slide on silk. Chestnut locks were framing his eyes, which thanks to his dark clothing seemed almost black. However, you couldn't miss the unnerving azure glint in them. The middle forelock of his hair was almost reaching his nose, which was perfectly straight and it had a normal size. His lips seemed soft and smooth, and his jaw was rather big, matching totally his strong personality. And finally, the last stroke of the brush, from his neck was hanging a string that was ending in a duel monster card, turned from the down side. Or was it a locket? Irma couldn't be sure. To be sure, she would have to reach down, slide her fingers across his chest, sensually giving him a shudder and hear him sigh, as she would…

Irma snapped herself abstractly out of her daydream. _Badbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbad! Bad! But oh God, he __is__ sexy. I wonder if he knows it._ Irma thought. All in all, objectively, he was much more pretty with his mouth shut, without throwing the usual insults. Damn it!

Seto, from his side, couldn't suppress himself anymore. He closed his eyes for a moment, as he chuckled, and opening them, they darted towards her.

"Like what you see, Lair?"

The words came out of her mouth before she could swallow them: "Obviously, for looking at it. Thing that shows how boring are the rest in here."

When she realized what she had just said, she blushed so tensely that she could swear that all of the blood in her body had gathered there. Seto liked so much that blush that he didn't even get mad.

"Oh, Lair, so this is the way to thank someone who just saved you from the rain and a further semester of studies? You know, now I should throw you immediately out."

The blush turned in paleness at the same second. And he didn't miss it.

"You are just lucky that today I'm in a good mood." He cleared the situation. Irma's face found again its natural color.

"Was this the only reason?" She asked right after.

"What do you mean?" He replied irritated.

"Was this the only reason you did what you did for me today? Because you are in a good mood?" She insisted.

He smirked. "Wheeler described me like Dracula, didn't he."

Irma was shocked, _how did he…_

"I'm not that much of a jerk." He continued flatly. "You're Mokuba's friend, I saw you in trouble, I helped you out. End of the story."

"You mean, you did it for your brother?" Was that disappointment in her voice? Why, what had she expected anyway? Seto Kaiba liking her, after all this? If this wasn't science fiction! _She_ didn't even like _him._

"Mokuba is everything for me." He stated simply.

Another minute passed in silence, before they felt the limo pull over. Without a pause of a second, all that time, Seto was trying to stop himself from looking at her soft curves, the way they harmonically loomed inside her tight jeans and her just fitting red top, her slender neck, her full lips, her emerald eyes, her shoulder – length chestnut hair that smelled so nice when he had leaned to catch her, howbeit the rain…

His driver interrupted his cloudy thoughts. "Sir, we've reached university!" As for when he had lowered the barrier, Seto hadn't even notice. Looks like he was too absorbed by his thoughts to do so…

_I have to be loosing it!_ He thought.

Irma was totally surprised. "We're here?" She asked stunned. "That soon?"

"Yes, Lair, and it's 8:55. You barely have much time left."

She didn't say anything at all; she just stayed and stared at him. Seto started to get irritated. "What are you looking at, Lair, don't you listen? I said you barely…"

"You know," She cut him off, "Now I understand why Yugi said that you're always there when we need you… and that you really are a true friend." Irma couldn't suppress a smile.

Seto jerked furiously towards her. "What exactly did that runt say again??" But before he could even think of anything else, Irma had leaned forwards and had given him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Right after that, she had cutely jumped outside the limo, leaving him stoned from surprise behind her, with eyes so wide he could never remind himself of having before.

"Oh, and Kaiba…" She told him behind the window, which the chauffer had lowered when he saw her turning, "This is the way _I_ say thank you!" and then she just turned around and headed quickly towards the old fashioned university's iron gates.

"This essay had better get a good grade, Lair!" He yelled at her from the car. She probably listened to him, because she waved him something that could mean either 'Oh, spare me!' or 'Don't bother.'

Seto leaned again backwards on his seat, sighing. What has gotten into him? Goodness's crisis? Altruistic rush? Whatever it was, at any rate, it was good he'd done it; now Lair would owe him.

Even if she did repay him somehow…

"Where to now, sir?" His chauffer asked.

"Don't ask stupid questions! At Kaiba Corp, of course!" _Geese, why do I pay you?_

"If it is so, sir… I recommend you look well yourself on the mirror before you step foot in the building." The chauffer advised him.

"And what is _that_ suppose to mean?" It was good for the poor chauffer that he chose not to turn around to face his boss; it would have been quite unhealthy for his psychological state. He just answered from where he was:

"Because that mark of pink lip – gloss in your cheek, sir… I don't think that…" The chauffer snickered. Kaiba growled and glared daggers at his back, as he was pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe out, to his great indisposition, the hints that Irma's lips had left on his cheek.

_Forget the raise, you smartass._

**A/N:** Oh, another long, romance centric chapter… yes, I also can't wait about the angsty stuff… don't worry, be patient, I swear they will come… Until then, no flames, read and review please! Bye!


	5. Unusual Decisions

A/N: If I owned Yu-Gi-oh

**A/N: **If I owned Yu-Gi-oh! Along with W.I.T.C.H., you wouldn't read this right now. You'd be seeing it on TV or mangas!

Chapter 5: Unusual Decisions

"Come on, come on, come on please!"

"Tea, no."

"But why? Come on you guys!"

"We said no!"

"But we're gonna have so much fun! Think about it! A masquerade party, for celebrating Halloween! All of us with costumes! Wouldn't it be great?"

"That things are for little kids!" Duke said defensively. "We are full grown ups! Entrepreneurs!"

"Okay, you dress up like Kaiba, it suits you!" Tristan mocked. But before Duke could answer, Irma got in the way:

"Telling the truth, I like very much the idea! And Halloween is my favorite kinda festival. Sure it's worth doing it, guys, besides, Halloween is exactly for that kind of stuff!"

"Yes, if you are a 5-year-old!" Mai said. "Get serious, we're big babies now!"

"Hm, I've seen elder than us going on a masquerade. Besides, if it is just us, who is going to see us? I'm in!" Yugi said.

"Me too!" Joey said. "Who's going to cook?"

"Hey, I've got a better idea!" Mokuba said. "Let's do the party at the Kaiba mansion, there we will have as much room and food as we like!"

"Are you kidding me? Didn't we just now say that no one would see us? And you're telling me that we'll have all of your maids, butlers and cookers stare at us?" Mai freaked out.

"It's very simple, we'll tell them first to get everything ready, and then we'll give them the rest of the day off." Mokuba stated simply.

"Sounds fine to me." Irma said.

"Mokuba…" Tea said, leaning towards him. "Can you tell your brother to come? At least dressed like a businessman?" She pleaded, ignoring Joey's pouting. "Please. It's a party for friends, it would be too bad not to be there."

"It's a party for friends, not for jerks." Joey murmured. Mokuba lowered his head. He knew he had to get used to it, sometime, but another word against his brother, and he would explode! He couldn't stand this anymore. Sure, he hadn't heard fewer times his brother calling Joey a mutt, but that was different! He was his brother, who had sacrificed so much, his very self to protect him! He didn't intend to take a single hint of an insult anymore, from anyone!

But the explosion came from elsewhere:

"He is NOT a jerk! Don't you dare call him that again!!"

"Whoa, Irma! What episodes did he lose?" Duke asked stunned, while Joey had frozen right at his spot.

"I… not…" Irma had the urge to tell them about the essay, but it had passed a lot of time, and they could suspect God knows what! So, for the first time in her life, she decided to keep her mouth shut. "I just can't put up with that unstoppable circle anymore. You curse him, he curses you, and so on. Maybe if you just stopped playing that part of yours, we would act somewhat better, at our heads would be at last in peace!"

"Irma's right, guys, it's time to stop. Didn't you just now said we are full frown ups?" Yugi added. The rest of them seemed to agree, but Joey shot a weird look at Irma, before he lowered his head. Since when was she supporting Kaiba? _Something's going on here…_

"Anyway, I think it's time for me to go." Mokuba said. "And thanks that, at least from your side, there's gonna be a truce. Ciao!" Irma and Tristan accompanied him to the door. Tristan leaned forward and whispered at him, so the others couldn't hear them:

"Prepare another setting for Halloween's table. Serenity will come, she sent e-mail to me, she wants to surprise Joey. I'll communicate with her for the rest."

"Great, ok." Mokuba said happily. When Tristan was gone, Irma leaned also down:

"And tell your brother," She told him, like she was continuing an already existing conversation, "That my essay passed with 10/10. He'll understand. Oh, and give him that from my side." She said, giving Mokuba a warm and tight hug. When she pulled herself backwards, she saw that his smile was reaching his ears.

_Weird team, really. They are, or seem so innocent, yet…_ Irma pondered, as she was walking down the street. _I have a long time to feel like this…_

She stopped outside Yugi's grandpa's Kame Game shop, watching the latest duel monster cards displayed gloriously at the front row. She smiled weakly, feeling a little bad she hadn't chosen her deck from there. She didn't want them to know she was learning how to play. Something inside her was telling her to keep it a secret, for a surprise – attack in need. She smirked, they couldn't fool her. They had enemies. She had done her research well, as a reminiscent of the days she was a guardian. In a battle, in order to survive, her friends and she had to know every single detail of the 'landscape' before they attacked or defended themselves. It was raising their possibilities for survival. The past, the enemies, the way they were thinking, the weapons that could be used; everything mattered, even if the chances of loosing or the possibility of another battle to happen was minimum, the rule was one: never, ever let any windows closed. Bring light to every dark corner; explore the nature of your opponent, solve the riddles of the situation. And then you may live.

"Was I late, or were you early?" She heard a careless voice behind her. She sighed, and turned around, her green trench coat floating at the motion, and came face to face with a long - gray-haired man with red suit, whose one and only eye was gleaming with amusement.

"Mr. Pegasus, you're always late." She declared, somewhat professionally. "And I still don't think that meeting each other in front of Yugi's game shop was a good idea. The fact that it's currently closed doesn't mean that no one is in it."

"Touché. But I wanted to talk to you a little, Irma-girl." He said mischievously. Irma sighed and rolled her eyes.

"We've already discussed the matters we should, Mr. Pegasus. Your information was really helpful, thank you very much. But I guess that Will and Orube settled that on the phone with you. You're getting some popularity again with Orube's newspaper and magazine, and I'm getting the information I want about the Kaiba brothers and the Yugi-tachi. Things they would never say to me otherwise." She smirked.

Pegasus smirked too. "And why, may I ask, do you want to know so many things about them? They are special, you learned that. And now you want to play the game. Without them knowing. Why do I see a catch here?"

"If things were half as bad, I might have considered telling them. But their enemies aren't down, Mr. Pegasus. I know that and you know that. Let the others underestimate you than overestimate you. Now how well do we know about the lapse in the software you attached to Kaiba Corp.'s one? Is it a virus or what, Mr. Pegasus?" Irma asked dead – flat. Pegasus smirked.

"I'm seeing interest about the Kaiba – boys, huh? About their past, too?"

Irma met his dead in the eye, glaring as her eyes matched that of Kaiba's intimidation. "I need to know about that orphanage, and I need to know _now!_ Everything about Gozaburo Kaiba and his family, as well! Oh, and take a look at the Ishtar's museum, would you?"

"Why, Irma-girl, you already have. You know already about the ancient Egypt past of them, or Orichalkos power. You've also analyzed their way of playing." Pegasus played along. "So, what more do you need to know?"

"Answers." She murmured. "The games aren't over yet. If we want to live, we must have answers."

"No. I most certainly believe you must have this." Pegasus took a square box from the right pocket of his coat, and gave it to Irma. "There, a little something that might help you at the upcoming battle. All I can tell you for now is not to get near Kaiba's computers… you don't know what you might find. Either way, however, you can't prevent what's coming…"

"…Neither can you." She cut him off. Pegasus's attachment to Kaiba Corp's software had allowed him to see something coming… But as the rest of them, he was just as incapable of stopping it.

"… so finish perfecting your strategies, will you?"

"You can count on it…" Irma grumbled, and slided the box inside her pocket. "And we both know that you're doing this for the popularity… If we survive, when will we see you again, Pegasus?"

"Oh, Irma-girl, I'll be in the Bahamas… too far away to get my hide from all of this safe." Pegasus turned, getting inside his limo, leaving Irma alone, who snickered at his last words.

Yes, the games will soon begin, Kaiba-boy…Nice nickname you found him, Pegasus.

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba squealed, as he was intruding his brother's office like a tornado in California.

"What's up, Mokuba?" Seto just asked, looking up from his laptop to see a super – enthusiastic Mokuba bolting towards him. He barely managed to grab his desk in order for them not to fall down from the chair, with such a rush he had fell into his arms.

"Mokuba!! Stop being such a baby! Do you understand you've grown up?" But truth be told, these hugs were always giving him countless happiness, which couldn't be compared with the successes in his job. His brother was the reason he was doing everything, living, standing, breathing and (unfortunately for some people) talking. And that expression of mutual love once in a while couldn't harm.

"Oh, sorry big brother, but that hug wasn't from me!" Mokuba smiled mysteriously.

"If you stood and talked with fangirls, I swear…"

"No! No, no, no! Totally wrong!"

"Okay then, from whom was it?" Kaiba asked, quirking an eyebrow. Mokuba, of course, didn't respond immediately, but only gave his elder sibling an expression that meant 'Find yourself!'

"I don't have time for this, Mokuba…"

"It's from Irma! Irma sends you a hug!"

Kaiba's trademark, his evil smirk, made its appearance once again.

"And she also says that her essay got 10/10." Mokuba continued. "Listen, Seto, I know that I don't know much about girls and etc, but… look… is there something going on between you? Has your relationship with her… I don't know, raise its speed?"

"Depends." Kaiba snickered. "What's the biggest speed you can develop in a downslide?"

"Come on, big brother…"

"No Mokuba, that's enough. I just made a service to her, and she wanted to thank me, that's all." The smirk had yet to leave his lips.

"Service? What kind of service?" Mokuba asked, his eyes wide from the surprise.

"I just took her to university with the limo to manage to hand over in time an essay of hers." The day came again freshly alive in his mind. How long had it been? A month? He still remembered every moment as it was yesterday. "And you said she got it excellent, didn't you?"

"Uh… sorry, big brother… but since when do _you_ offer services of a cabman?"

Seto's eyes narrowed. "You're hanging out too much with the mutt."

"Don't be mean. Don't get mad at me!" The sad voice and the puppy dog eyes Mokuba used (Damn it, how could this trick still work?) made Seto regret it immediately.

"I'm not mad at you." _How could I?_

Mokuba's face lit up. "Excellent! Then you won't mind for us to make a masquerade party here the next week!" Seto looked startled.

"Masquerade party? How did that come to you?"

"Oh Seto, does it really matter? CanIcanIcanI? Will you arrange it?"

Seto sighed. Could he really don't make his brother's favor. "What time, what day, and who are you gonna be?" He asked, with a tone of 'I give up' in his voice.

"Next Friday at 19:00, and we'll be me, Yugi, Tea, Joey, Irma, Tristan, Mai, Duke, Serenity and… who else did I forgot? Oh yes: you!"

Seto shot himself up from the chair. "Me, what do you mean me!"

"You don't have to dress up," Mokuba explained quickly. "Just put a formal shirt and pants and say you dressed like a businessman, thing you are, namely. All we want is for you to be there." Mokuba was right. He so much wanted his brother to act like a normal teen, just for once.

"Whose idea was that? Yours, Yugi's Gardner's or Lair's?" Seto was furious!

"Uh… Tea's…"

"Gardner's, the friendship speech cheerleader, who else's! Well, listen, Mokuba: I don't want to have any kind of relationship with them! And take for granted that I'm not showing up in this ridiculous party! Are we clear?"

"Not even for my shake, big brother?" Now Mokuba was really ready to burst up in tears.

"No Mokuba. I'm sorry. End of the story." And with that, Seto walked towards the door. But when he reached the doorknob, his brother's voice stopped him:

"Very well Seto, if it is so, we'll have a bet!"

Seto froze. "A bet?"

"Yes. A challenge. You never step back from a challenge, and I want you very much to come, so…" Mokuba turned to face his brother, and Seto saw him trying to hide his tears.

And this was what broke him. He himself had been in this position hundreds of times before, trying to hide his tears and his sadness behind cruelty and intelligence. And, with all of his heart, it was literally the last thing he wanted to happen to his little brother.

"You understand why this is happening, don't you?"

_A gulp. No. He didn't. He didn't at all._

"_You have to be strong. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."_

"_And what, pray tell, will exactly make me stronger?" His eyes were burning. He wanted to cry. But that wasn't an option. He couldn't fight it physically, it wasn't possible. But he could at least try mind games. He had nothing else left… "Being cuffed will strengthen my muscle tissue, certainly not…" But the gray – haired man with the red suit towering above him interrupted him harshly:_

"_You have quite the mouth… So shut it up, before I find a better use for it."_

_Another weapon disarmed. What had he left now… Only his eyes. His eyes… Blue eyes… What did they mean…Why did everybody think that they were special? He wasn't seeing anything special in himself at all. So why did everyone thought so? Even that man seemed that did…_

_And then he felt them. He felt the fingers sinking in his brown hair, caressing and exploring expertly his head, then his face, then his neck, then his shoulders…_

_**Don't touch me!**__ He wanted to scream, but he couldn't, he wasn't finding a voice, his teeth were so roughly clenched together, his knees started trembling and giving away…_

"_Say you submit to me… Say it, and I'll stop. Say it Seto, you have your fate in you hands… You decide." _

_**Never!**__ You bastard, I know what you're doing, you're just trying to humiliate me more… I'm not doing any favors to you! And the tears started streaming._

"_You decide…"_

"No Mokuba, there's no need to. I'll come, if it means that much for you. I promise." Seto tried to ignore the lump in his throat, as the memories that haunted his dreams came once again to torture him. Not his little brother! Nobody hurts his little brother, he had given so much to ensure just this…

Mokuba, not having suspected anything of his brother's internal state, snickered. The little one was manipulative, just like his brother. Thank God he didn't have to invent a bet of the last moment. "I scared you for good, didn't I, big brother? But now you promised! You can't go back!"

Kaiba sighed heavily. "No, I can't. I'll come, but if the mutt get on my nerves for another time, I can't guarantee what will happen." The tone of his voice was severely warning.

"Oh, they agreed on a truce." Mokuba hurried to assure him. "It'll go well, you'll see."

"So Joey, don't you have a single drop of same upon you? Even if you hate Kaiba – the whole universe knows that – don't you at least think about that kid? Mokuba is our friend, and the least you can do is not offend his brother!"

Joey and Mai were heading towards Mai's purple parked car, who was giving a good lecture or two to the blond boy beside her. They were alone, so Joey had just lower his head, waiting for the storm to pass. Thing that was the wisest to do now he hadn't anyone to support him against the rage of the feisty blond woman.

When Mai stopped her enraged speech, she remained fuming, irritated. But when she was ready to open the door of her car, Joey stopped her:

"You know something Mai? You're right. I shouldn't have acted like this in front of Mokuba, but don't tell me that you didn't notice something weird on Irma as far as it concerns Kaiba? It seemed like something have happened between them…"

"Oh, sure: Irma this, Irma that, Irma the other… Irma is a big girl, she doesn't need you to pamper her!" And with those words, Mai got in her car, slamming the door behind her.

"Mai, are you mad?" Joey said. It was half a question, half a statement. She looked at him sadly.

_He hasn't understood anything. _She thought sadly as well. _And since he hasn't understood something until now, he'll probably never will. Because he never understood why I gave him the card he needed to save his sister. _ _Because he never understood why I turned so blindly against the Big Five when they erased him._ _Because he never understood why I didn't want to marry the famous and rich actor._ _Because he never understood how lost I felt when Marik deleted him from my memory._ _Because he never understood why I felt so betrayed only by him, when I was left all alone, and why Orichalkos made me hate him so much. And why at the end I regretted it._

_Or why I came back._

"Give us all of your money, punks. What are you waiting for?" Yugi, Joey, Tea and Tristan were trapped at the middle of a circle of a street gang, numbered by fifteen people at least. There's no way they could escape, they hadn't had their cards with them. The worst, they had no money. And Joey and Tristan knew how much that irritated the gangs about their victims.

"Didn't you hear well, geeks? Give us the money! Or should we take the pretty girl instead?"

Tea shrank at her position, while Tristan and Yugi stepped in front of her. "You'll have to face us first!" Tristan shouted angrily. Yugi just narrowed his eyes, waiting for an attack.

"We have no money, dude. You'll earn nothing." Joey said, stepping forward, in an attempt to communicate with the chief, who, surprisingly, was a man at his forties.

The same time, he knew it wouldn't work.

"Oh, that's too bad… for you, what a pity, such a young and handsome boy as you to go down in flames…" And he pulled a gun, pointing it straight at Joey's forehead.

"JOEY, NO!" Tea screamed. After that, everything happened too fast.

The next moment, the chief of the gang found himself at the ground bleeding from his freshly cut from the root hand. Terrified, the rest of the members spread towards any direction, while hovering above their chief's unconscious body was a Harpy… A Harpy Lady.

"Next time, try to mess with someone at yours size, Mr. Psycho… in jail!" A blond woman made her appearance through a dark alley. A blond woman, with purple eyes and purple clothes… so familiar…

"MAI!" The four of them cried out and run towards her. When they were all embraced in a tight hug, Mai had never felt so warm before.

Without answering, or emerge any of her thoughts or memories, Mai turned on her car's machine. She wanted to leave.

"Mai… you're jealous." That was more of a statement. Mai restrained herself to shoot him a quick gaze. It was almost funny how he grew severe and mature beside her.

Almost.

"You know, Mai…" Joey started, trying to hold himself, "I maybe talk frequently about Irma… but I didn't booked a table for two at 'Romantic Idol' tonight with her!" And the grin he was fighting to suppress made wide his appearance until his ears at her stunned expression:

Excuse me? Come again? What the… "You mean…"

"That's right, that position belongs only to you!" Joey continued, his smile never leaving his face. Mai was still remaining frozen.

"But Joey… This is the most expensive and romantic restaurant in Domino!"

"Exactly, what I'm I telling you all this time?" At that statement, Mai felt all the locks of the world breaking around her. All the locks they were holding them apart. But hey, she had the reputation of a sexy – naughty – bitchy bimbo to protect, not that of a romantic princess! So, she took her usual sexy and seductive aura as she was answering:

"Are you trying to flirt me, Joseph Wheeler?"

If that wasn't giving him the message!

"Am I welcome?" Inside, Joey was a little nervous. He was 90 sure he would have been rejected from the very start, but then he saw her being jealous at him, and now he didn't know what to assume!

But Mai's wink and nod to get into the car pretty much told him everything he needed to know.

More than welcome babe… More than welcome.

**A/N: **Thank God, I finished this chapter! It was one of the longest! Read and review please, I may gave you a little of angst in here, but this is nothing compared to what comes… Bye until then!


	6. Masks Above Our Faces

A/N: Hello everybody

**A/N: **Hello everybody! I know that you're still there somewhere!  Special thanks to CaleighoMeer and Nightcrawlerlover, they just make my day! I'm sorry I didn't update for a while, but things got in the way… I also had a problem about changing scenes, but I think now I fixed it. Anyway, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or W.I.T.C.H. so on with the story! Enjoy, I hope you do!

Chapter 6: Masks Above Our Faces

"Mokuba, this party ROCKS!" Exclaimed an all-to-enthusiastic Tea. Halloween's party had started over an hour, an almost everyone was there. The decorations at the Kaiba mansion had all been dove under the severe supervision of the little Kaiba, as well as the foods. Eight to ten had chocolate. The whole aura of the place was indeed scary, but hey: Halloween!

As far as the elder Kaiba was concerned, he was standing in a corner without talking to anyone, though observing everything and everyone. For example, Gardner was as always making googly eyes to Yugi, and he, as always, was failing to notice anything, Valentine and Wheeler were flirting non-stoppable, so much that Wheeler had forgot even to eat – when did a sex bomb like Valentine fall so low? Devlin and Taylor were fighting again over something and Mokuba was refusing stubbornly to leave the candies. Namely, one of the same. As for the outfits… Gardner had been dressed like the Dark Magician Girl, probably to catch Yugi's eye, (Needless to say that she failed miserably – Seto could swear that Yugi was making the fool purposely) who had grabbed something casual, and came dressed as a Pharaoh. Taylor was dressed like a cowboy, Wheeler as a pirate, Valentine something like a butterfly, whereas his brother had preferred to become an elf. It was truly hilarious, but whatever it was, it was certainly the last time he let him decorate the mansion. He had achieve transforming it so eerie and creepy, that when Devlin stepped inside dressed like a vampire, everyone else shrieked and even Seto's own blood froze for a moment. As for himself, he was dressed formally, like a businessman of his caliber should when he stepped on very important meetings. White coat and pants, and an azure shirt with a blue tie. He had promised.

However, someone was missing. More precisely, one girl.

He wanted to ask; but that would raise suspicions why he was so interested about it. Nevertheless, in a final analysis, so? What was the matter? Thus, when he saw Gardner talking to his brother, he approached them.

"Well, Gardner? Do you enjoy the party?" He said, with only _a little_ hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Of course, I was just saying that to Mokuba! It's awesome, especially the decoration; good job!" She said beaming, as she turned again towards the younger boy. But before he could answer, Kaiba spoke again:

"It's weird though that Lair isn't there yet. There are two explanations: A) She is so afraid that she regretted coming to a scary party," _In my house, as well,_ he added from inside, "Or B) She just dawdles in everything. Pathetic."

"Spare us a glance this way, Kaiba." A very familiar voice sounded from behind him. He turned… and he almost fell in shock.

There it was, the image he was trying so hardly to get out of his head, all-alive in front of his eyes. Irma was wearing a… dress? Dress, anyway, which was leaving totally uncovered the shoulders, the collarbone and half of her black bra, with its straps decorating normally her exposed front and back. The dress wasn't strapless, but from her one naked shoulder until above one of her breasts was laying a tattoo – flower, with different curved lines around it. The sleeves were at the start somewhat tight, but afterwards they loosed and reached above her wrists, while the rest of the dress was skintight on her. Not that it was much remained of it, it was almost to the line to prevent someone from knowing if she went commando or not (And for God's shake, how he would love to learn that 'detail'!) The color of the dress was deep red, and it was coming to total combination with her red pumps, and to total contrast with her black bra and her black, like thick panty hose socks, which reached a little under the dress – enough high as to not say 'we're open and we're waiting for you', but also enough low to allow, between them and the dress, a little piece of suspender belt to show up. Her neck was decorating a wide sea green cross, flattering the color of her eyes and matching the pair also sea-green wings that were settled on her back. (**A/N: **If anybody wants this picture, e-mail me and I'll send it to you. It's from an Italian girl named Laura, I found it on net)

The result? Beautiful, breath taking and so, so sexy! Instead of what somebody would wait, it wasn't smutty at all. Just as sexy as it could be.

_Skip that, _Kaiba thought the next moment. _It can be sexier._ Irma had just winked at him playfully and he had sent him a kiss from her bloody - red lips. Those lips he wanted so much to…

_Halt! Stop! Finite! End! Don't go further! Don't complete this thought!_ Kaiba sighed, _damn hormones!_

"Hello, Kaiba, as you can see I'm here, so swallow your poison. I was late because these wings couldn't be settled in their position at all. What a drama." She giggled.

Seto chuckled in such a way, that Mokuba took it as a good time for him to disappear. Tea, however, stayed to hear his answer: "Your main worry was about the wings, Lair? I can assure you that this is the last thing someone notices on you right at this moment!"

"But what could I do, they are necessary, since I dressed like a sexy fairy!" Irma defended herself playfully.

Seto almost snorted. (He didn't, you see, Seto Kaiba never snorts) "Honestly, Lair, you don't want to hear the word I'd use to describe you!"

"Hm, let me guess: Something akin to a wench, maybe?" Irma had expected that, and this was the reason she had dressed like that, for seeing his reaction. Not that she cared, it would just be funny.

"I'm wondering how you got it!" Seto scoffed. But she gave to him an evil grin.

"Oh, Kaiba, you would like it that much, wouldn't you? I was sure. For you would be the only able to pay me…"

Now was Seto's time to smile evilly. "Lair, who said I would have to _pay_ you for this?" It was true. Being a businessman and all, Seto couldn't trust anyone, so he used to do what all the others unmarried businessmen did: Phone to call girls to satisfy his needs. This was just the way it worked, calling call girls until you get married for the company's benefit. Seto of course didn't intend to marry for such a hypocritical reason; he could remain single just fine. And he had called only five times in his life, when the situation really demanded it. He didn't want a relationship, for obvious reasons. He didn't trust. Sure he could lure any girl he wanted into his bed, but after… no, he couldn't use a human like this, unless of course it was its job. Because he had never fell in love, he never had a crush or something, and the sure thing was that afterwards, he would have to say that he wanted only the sex, nothing else, and shove the other away. And that hurt. He may was known like a heartless bastard, but he knew to be decent and responsible.

Seto's eyes darted to the floor. He _did_ have a crush or something akin to it, long ago, when he was about twelve… more like intense friendship… And he had shoved it away, he didn't want it at all, but he _had to_ shove it away, and that hurt, but it would hurt much more if he didn't, but it still hurt both of them, he couldn't forget her tears, but what had hurt him more was the defeated node of understanding she gave to him, when he told her to disappear from his sight…

Seto snapped out of it immediately. These thoughts had passed his mind in a mere second, his expression never changing from the smug one he had started the fight with. But if he continued having those thoughts… Oh, to the hell with it all! And if Lair learnt about his sex life and accused him of minimum experience… He smirked, none of the five call girls he had sex with ever accepted to take her money.

At the meanwhile, as Irma started to growl aggressively, Tea interfered: "Irma, come and see how Mokuba has decorated the mansion!" Irma followed her promptly, but when she was to pass Kaiba, she received the familiar swat on the cheek.

"Argh!" She just fumbled. Tea looked bewildered for a moment, but then she smiled:

"Okay, if you don't like the decoration…"

"And you, Brutus?" Seto suppressed the urge to smile with Tea and Irma's teasing about his joke. Thankfully, he didn't have to say anything because the doorbell chose that moment to ring. They all gathered at the hall, then Tristan looked his watch and winked at Mokuba, who understood.

"Joey, go and open the door." He told him.

"Who, me?" Joey looked stunned. "But…"

"Go, I'm telling you! You're not going to regret it!"

Joey looked at Mokuba startled, but in the end he shrugged and headed towards the door. And when he opened it, a girl with auburn hair and green eyes fell into his arms.

"Serenity!" It was the only thing he could say at the start. But then his tongue took its rote: "I can't believe it! I thought you were going to celebrate Halloween in Paris! My little sister, you can't imagine how happy you made me!"

"Me too, Joey. I'm so glad I'm seeing all of you again! And… you must be Irma Lair, aren't you?"

Irma headed also towards Serenity, as the rest of them did, to greet her. She was really a very sweet and beautiful girl, as they had all described her. And the pink princess's dress she wore for an outfit enforced that impression. And… was it her idea, or did Serenity blush when she greeted Kaiba?

"Very well, and now that Serenity's here, it's time to eat! Let's go to…" Mokuba hadn't even said the word let's, and Tristan and Duke were already at the full of food table.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Irma, what are you thinking?"

"Hm?"

"Hello, you're miles away!" Duke stated matter-of-factly. "I asked, what are you thinking!"

"Oh, uh… nothing certain." She said as carelessly as she could, but she continuing glancing non-directly at Kaiba. She wasn't in a mood to eat, either. All the time she was thinking: _What if Kaiba liked another woman? Ph, poor girl! Why do I care, anyway?_

And then she saw Serenity approaching him.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"I never believed that you would organize a masquerade party on Halloween for us, Kaiba. It was very kind of you, and very nice. Thank you."

He just lightly shrugged, the mutt's sister was causing him from little to close to none interest. "Don't flatter yourselves. I did it for Mokuba."

"Still… it was beautiful seeing all of you again together. Since I left for France, a year ago, I haven't seen you at all." Serenity's apprehensive smile didn't leave her lips. Being kind from nature, she couldn't not to thank her host.

"France? Is there where you attend university?"

"Yes, I got a traveling fellowship there, and I'm attending European Studies."

"Is the money good?"

"Satisfying. And life at Paris is quite expensive for our standards, but not impossible…"

They continued talking for quite an hour, Mai had convinced Joey that Kaiba wouldn't do something evil to Serenity. (Lucky I trust Kaiba more than Duke or Tristan in this matter, Joey thought) Serenity had also begun to feel comfortable, and Seto was gathering information from first hand about European life and how to send the trend of his card game better there. However, not for a second did escape his attention a sexy, seductive beauty. Hm, now she was talking to Devlin…

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Irma, your state of mood has dropped down zero! Come on, tell me what's going on."

"Stop annoying me Duke, I'm perfectly fine!" Irma replied, filling her cup with licker until the edge. Inside, she was boiling. _Since when does Kaiba have a civilized conversation with anybody more than ten minutes? But of course, that anybody isn't always a sweet fairytale princess…_

Because that would be the kind of woman Kaiba would want. Sweet, submissive, kind, prissy, delicate, ethereal, exotic and beautiful. In her opinion, exactly what Irma wasn't, and Serenity was.

The glass with the licker emptied without her realizing it. She moved unconsciously her hand to take more, but Duke stopped her.

"No Irma, that's enough! I'm not going to let you get drunk!"

"For the last time, Duke…"

"No, my lady, listen to me: We are friends! And friends always support each other, and they share their problems! Whatever you have, I can help you, and I want to help you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

Irma smiled at him. Yes. She still had friends.

Duke noticed her relaxing, and wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer. "Now, do you trust me?"

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

_How did that hell of a bastard dared to grope __his__ girl? The girl that __he__, Seto Kaiba, had decided to torment this way? He could smell trouble in the air… _

"Stop, you'll break it!" Serenity's voice came from far away, but it was enough to bring Seto back to his senses, as well as her touch. The knuckles of his hand that held his wineglass had turned white, and if he applied a little more pressure, it would break to pieces. For preventing this from happening, Serenity had grabbed him by his wrist. And when he turned to look at her, she blushed madly.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

_C…Craaaaack!_

Irma wasn't as lucky as Seto. Duke hadn't notice how much she clenched her glass when she saw them touching. And now it was late. The glass shattered into million pieces, some of them fell on the floor like glittering snowflakes, thousands of beads sliding in the darkness, and some of them fought their ways in her skin, passing through her flesh, leaving the blood to create tiny streams of scarlet…

"IRMA!"

When did they gather around her, Irma was never able to figure. But she knew that the first who was beside her, even though Duke was right next to her, was Seto Kaiba.

"Irma, what happened? Are you okay?" Yugi asked, with obvious worry, while Seto had grabbed her hand and he was examined it carefully.

"I'm fine!" She answered and tried to shove away her hand abstractly, but the only thing she managed, was to provoke even more pain to herself. And unfortunately, she gave it away pouting.

"Come on Lair, there's a first aid kit in the kitchen." Kaiba said, dragging her from her wrist in a nearby door. She tried to fight against it, but the increasing pain in her hand screamed at her to follow him.

"Wait, take this." Mai stopped them, and took tweezers for eyebrows out of her bag. "Some pieces of glass may have been dig inside the skin, you won't be able to pull them out otherwise."

Irma shivered. Okay, she was in Medicine, but at Veterinary section, and seeing a minor surgery upon you without a sedative…

Seto noticed it. Silently, he caressed her hand reassuringly, dragging her to the kitchen.

Irma sat on the table, waiting. Seto was searching for the aid kit and some alcohol… Irma was a bit afraid of pain; she never had any special bearing to it… Oh, yes: Except when Ares had slashed her shoulder with a sword – lightly, fortunately for her. She hadn't complained… much.

The memories started to flood like the flows she used to create. Ares, Malo, Yura, Orube, Oracle, Nerissa, Phobos, Caleb, Cedric, Elyon, Tibor, Yan Lin… and, of course, W.I.T.C.H. All of them a far away dream, which would never came back. A lost life. (A/N: If you don't know the characters Irma's thinking about, don't worry, not necessary! )

"Come on, Lair, surely it can't hurt that much." Seto said, approaching her and wiping gently away the single tear that had slip without her realizing it at her cheek.

_But it does hurt._ Her sad look was telling him when she tilted her head and looked at him in the eyes. And he knew that she wasn't referring to her hand.

"I hate tears." She told him, expressionless. She was expecting him to have started the sarcasm by now, firstly for her stupidity to break the glass and secondly about her weakness in crying. But he hadn't. And the feeling of his hand on her cheek was more than priceless. "I'm crying only for the past."

"Then you cry about the last thing you should." Seto sat across her, setting the bandages and the alcohol next to him, and taking at his one hand her damaged fistful and at his other Mai's tweezers. "The past is gone, Lair. Dead. And you can do nothing to change it. The only thing you could do back then was fighting by any means to stay alive. And since you've done it so far, stay and be cautious about the present."

Irma remained silent. Seto was right; she knew it before he told her. There's no meaning in crying over things that you can't change. You have to move forward and doing your best, without tears, whining or complaints.

But how do you manage something like that?

Seto Kaiba had managed it. Managed to create a barrier of ice, which was cutting him off from the rest of the world and it was leaving him cold and untouched by any emotion.

She tilted her head and looked at him again. He was concentrated at her bloody hand, and he was pulling carefully the pieces of glass with Mai's tweezers. Irma wasn't feeling any pain at all. She didn't know if it was him, being so dexterous, or her, floating on the clouds of her thoughts.

"Do you ever cry?" She asked him, unconsciously.

"I've forgotten how. Someone took good care of that."

You had to be either deaf or a complete fool to fail to notice the hatred in his voice. Irma correctly assumed that he was talking for his stepfather.

"You stepfather… Gozaburo… he didn't love you, did he?"

It was had to believe that a real man could laugh so evilly, even Seto Kaiba. "Love me? _Love me?_" And right after, the laugh had been cut so abstractly it was scary, replaced by a terrifying mask of rage. "You can ask many things from Devil, Irma. But not _love._ The Devil, as well, will give you a lot, but not _love._ He'll give you hatred, rage, and pain, sadness… not love. _Never love!"_

Seto leaned again over his work. Only that now, his hands were obeying unconsciously. They did their job, as before, as it had to be done, but without him noticing. He was looking straight ahead. But he wasn't _seeing_ straight ahead. His eyes were darted directly to the bloody hand in front of him, but his mind was ten years ago, at his previous… hm, 'life' if one could call that hell one. The blood in his veins froze, as it did every time. His heart ached, but his face remained so empty, as he had been taught, when he was remembering what was going on in the very same house ten years ago, and why he was so sore, both in body and soul…

**A/N: **And I decided to cut it here, because I'm both evil and tired. As for what was going on ten years ago, you'll have to wait the next chapter to find out… No flames, read and review! Will ya? I'm waiting happily!


	7. Code to the Fears

A/N: Hello

**A/N: **Hello! Here I am again, with a fresh, angsty chapter! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And W.I.T.C.H., and seriously, that's the last time I'm writing this, it really gets on my nerves! Now, on with the story!

Chapter 7: Code to the FearsFlashback

_Continued hits. Everywhere on his body. But he couldn't utter a word. He bit his lower lip so hard it drew blood. Great… more blood sliding out of his flesh, which had already been ripen at so many places he couldn't count, plus the wounds in his wrists caused by fighting to escape from the cuffs holding him pinned face down in the cold ground. He couldn't scream, that would let the evil bastard above him win, thing that this creep was getting so much pleasure from… But now it was fire on his back, if he didn't succumb, he wouldn't live the day… and Mokuba would have to take his place…_

_His torturer kneeled above him, tossing the whip aside. The brown haired boy looked him startled: If he was planning to continue, why had he just tossed his instrument for this away? And if not, why had he kneeled? Above him, in addiction? _

_Suddenly, a wave of irrational fear washed over his sore body. Wide eyed, he looked straight inside his stepfather's eyes, only to meet a hungry gleam, which he had never again seen this intense. His body trembled involuntarily, and whimpers started to found their way on his lips, but he never let them out. This kind of fear was new to him; he didn't know what to expect, but he sensed it to be more terrible than everything he had suffered so far… A single tear rolled down his cheek. He had to… _

"_S…stop! Please, stop it!" His eyes tightly closed, head tossed to the side._

_Gozaburo Kaiba stepped aside his stepson's freshly tortured body. He regarded the boy like a hawk; from his bloody bare back to his sweated forehead, decorated by those delicious chocolate locks. It wasn't something rare for him to do. He brushed his fingers on the boy's smooth cheek, causing two priceless sapphires to snap open abstractly, detest and disgust fully written in their depths. Gozaburo smirked._

"_I'm seeing that you're already taking your lesson. You see, stepson, I roughed you up in such a small amount of time… When this was first happening, you cried, thrashed and screamed like a wild animal. Now, only a simple beg. You got stronger."_

_Seto didn't answer. He wanted to be out as soon as possible, maybe if he just left his stepfather say and do whatever he wanted to, he would be free more quickly, and he could see Mokuba…_

_But he knew that it wasn't over… It would never be over. _

"_But, I wish even that plea, to disappear. It shows you are weak. And weaklings never succeed in anything, much for running a corporation like ours. Was I clear, boy?" He asked again, grabbing roughly a fistful of the young boy's chestnut hair and bringing him, painfully, close to his face. "Was I clear?" He repeated, whispering in the boy's ear._

_Seto shivered in disgust, but he didn't show it. He had learned to never show it… otherwise, it meant pain. More salt on the wounds. Every day, a part of him was being murdered, was being snatched violently from his soul. Every piece of who he used to be was dying slowly, with every week, every day, every hour, and every damn moment he was still breathing._

"_Crystal clear, sir." He said emotionlessly, as always, as how he had been taught to avoid the pain._

"_Good. The next time, it's expected." Gozaburo let the silky hair off his hand, suppressing the urge to express his dislike of doing so. Seto let his head fall onto the ground again, where he stayed still, waiting patiently for his stepfather to unlock the cuffs._

_The blessed sound of clicking and unlocking made Seto wanting to sigh heavily from relief. Of course, he didn't do so. He just remained as he was, until he heard his stepfather's footsteps fading away. _

_And even then, he stayed motionless. Facing the cold ground of whatever this God damned room was, he stayed like he was forced to, several hours ago. He didn't worry about the wounds to get them bandaged immediately. Gozaburo was careful for the scars to disappear few weeks after each 'session'. And Seto could take the pain. What had shaken him, was that gleam in his stepfather's eye. It was bitterly funny; he believed he couldn't be shaken ever after the starts of these torments…_

_He stayed. Mourning silently and emptily another part of him dying, as it was… _

_End of Flashback_

Irma looked the man's sitting across her face, trying to grasp even a tiny bit of what was going in his head. Her hand was ready, cleaned and bandaged, nonetheless this whole work had been done completely mechanically, without him realizing. Irma wondered where and how he had learned to take care of such wounds so well. But she wondered more why he was still holding her hand.

Obviously, he wasn't aware of it. Since his stepfather's name was mentioned, he wasn't aware of anything.

Irma started observing his eyes. At the start they were cold and expressionless, as always. But then the ice was replaced by rage; the rage was replaced by hatred, from then to sadness, and then …

To horror.

He was afraid. Whatever it was he was thinking, or remembering, was scaring him. Seto Kaiba was scared.

Instinctively, Irma felt the urge to comfort him, telling him that everything was going to be okay… So, she caressed his cheek with her hand, just like he had done previously to wipe away the tear that had escaped her eye.

Only that this time, there were no tears. At least, not at the outside.

Seto tilted his head and looked at her. Her touch had awakened him from oblivion, to drag him to another one. _Eyes are the mirror of the soul, _he had heard so many times, but he had never believed it until now. For he could clearly see, at her breath-taking sea – green depths, which were coming slowly but steadily closer, pure worry and compassion.

And then it hit him; it wasn't just a joke. He couldn't be complete with only this. He wanted her near, he wanted her soul…

He pulled back.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Hello sir, we're here to inform you that the new family that rent the house next door, is absolutely non-dangerous and harmless. They are both advertisers, came from the other side of the town, and they have one little daughter. Their names are…"

"_I don't care. It was just informative." Gozaburo said, and dismissed promptly his two devoted, as well-paid, cronies. Seto, now a twelve-year-old teen, who was standing at the doorway, looked at them icily, before walking towards his stepfather. His future manly features had already started making their appearance on his face, thing that was making him even more handsome and charming, and separated him from his childhood years. _

"_What was this about?" He asked the man he hated so much, rather calmly, but calculatingly._

"_Oh, nothing. We just have to be sure with what persons we share the square." Gozaburo smirked. His stepson was stronger and more emotionless than ever, qualities he so much applauded. "Advertisers. With a daughter in your age. Weaklings to cause harm."_

"_I see." Seto just said, in that usual now, cold tone of his. "I just came to tell you that I've finished my classes. I have some free time, and if you could excuse me, since Mokuba isn't here, I would like to go out." The first and only time he had gotten out without permission, he was crying for weeks from the impact._

"_Out? How far out?" Gozaburo frowned._

_Seto suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "To the gardens, or maybe the pavement just in front. May I?"_

_Gozaburo sighed. "Yes, why not?"_

_When Seto was at last outside, he looked up to see the sun. He had to see the sun and all of the sky for so long…He breathed heavily, enjoying the oxygen filling his lungs. A tiny smile came to his face, as the air touched his chocolate bangs and brushed them away, make them dancing at the rhythm of the wind…_

"_Hey!"_

_Seto turned, annoyed that his moment of enjoyment had been interrupted so soon, but also curious, because that voice was of a girl's. At the other side of the fence that was separating their gardens, was standing a girl at his age, dressed in a tomboyish way and pouting to the sun. He approached her bewildered._

"_Hm, were you talking to me?" He asked her, his face softening to an innocent expression, after so long… _

"_Of course I was talking to you, there's not anybody else here!" She pouted further. Seto found that funny. "I was just lonely, I didn't know if this neighborhood had any other kids to play with… You see, I just moved here." She said, now not pouting, but smiling. She had a beautiful smile; it was like her face was radiating happiness. Seto felt a twinge of jealousy, he would never have that…_

"_I see. I learned that few minutes ago." He shifted uncomfortably. What was he supposed to say? __"Um… It's good to have you here, I guess." __His hand reached the back of his neck. The girl giggled playfully; this boy was so cute… She tossed her brown locks to the side, which were reaching only until her shoulders, if not above, and looked at him in the eyes, cerulean blue meeting cobalt indigo. His eyes were so deep blue, she mused._

"_I'm glad I came then." She smiled again. She was so happy she already had a new friend. "What's your name?"_

"_Seto. Seto Kaiba." He answered, allowing himself to smile as well. Maybe this girl was different. Though he had stopped believing in such things a long time ago, something was telling him that he could trust her. "And yours?"_

_She leaned over the fence, trying to come closer to him. She could feel it; He was special… he was beautiful. He was stunning. Something so good, and so new at her life…_

"Tea. Tea Gardner."

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Irma pulled apprehensively back as well. Seto had, once again, dazed out. This time, she decided not to interrupt him at all for a few minutes. After all, she was grateful they didn't have been caught up in the moment. It was weird. Irma shifted shyly in her place. There were no words, but a mutual understanding. But curiosity was eating her; what was he thinking?

"Seto?" She asked softly.

"Yes?" He answered, shaking his head a little, to get rid of the memories.

"May I ask what were you thinking?" She tried.

"No." Came the dead-flat response. "Now come on Lair, the rest of you geek squad is going to start getting worried." _You don't want to know what I was thinking, either way._

"They. Are. Not. A…"

"Hey, what's happening in here? Have you murdered each other already?" Tristan poked his head inside from the door, and then he walked in, complete. "You are so quiet it was scary! I already lost a bet to Duke!"

"For what?" Irma asked, but then she decided she didn't want to know. "That's okay, drop it."

Seto sighed heavily in annoyance. "What do you want, lackey? We've finished our job here. Why did you come?"

"What? You mean that I can't get worried for a friend of mine?" Tristan protested, sounded insulted.

"Spill it, Taylor. I'm warning you, I'm not in the mood!" Seto shot Tristan one of his usual glares – guaranteed to make grown men cry.

"A) I was indeed worried about Irma, B) I wanted to see if Duke was right and you were making out…" Irma groaned and shot him a glare that matched Kaiba's, "C) Kaiba, there is one of your partners outside, from the corporation, employee, stockholder, I don't have a clue, anyway, and he says that he wants to see you immediately, and D) Quit looking at me like this, guys, it's getting really creepy!"

If only looks could kill…

"You hade to say _that_ first, you moron! Wish he wasn't long outside, otherwise you won't have much time left!" Kaiba barked, and stormed out of the kitchen. Tristan swallowed hardly; it wasn't so much time, was it?

He turned to face Irma. When he saw her expression, he sweat-dropped. He turned to leave, but he felt a hand grabbing the back of his shirt.

"Now, you have a little of explanation to do." She said menacingly. "Why exactly did you and the other smart boy think that I was making out with Kaiba?" She said, tugging her sleeves up.

Tristan gulped. He was doomed. And it was Duke's fault! That was for sure… was it?

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Mister Kaiba!" The man with the giant iron briefcase shrieked out. He was totally horrified, and he was standing panting heavily at the middle of the living room, under the worried gazes of the rest of the Yugi-tachi, when Seto walked in hurryingly.

"Whatever you have to say to me, come to my office. Now!" Seto answered, and waved at him to follow towards another door at their left. But the man nodded negatively.

"No, Mr. Kaiba, we don't have even that small amount of time! All Kaiba Corp.'s systems have been blocked out! We don't have access to any of our data!"

"WHAT?!"

"Unfortunately, sir, look!" The man opened the briefcase to appear a laptop of the latest technology. The screen twinkled for a moment, and then it started showing tables full of symbols. Seto frowned; he had seen those before…

"Go directly at Kaiba Corp. and make sure that nothing is happening to our backup systems. Then wait for furthermore orders."

"Yes sir." The man almost bowed and disappeared at no time. Right after, Irma and Tristan walked in from the kitchen, Tristan rubbing his burning cheek. Seto had already begun typing to solve the system.

"What happened? We heard noise." Irma asked, while Tristan was silently thanking God.

"Moneybags has problem again with his company." Joey answered immediately. "This time, all of his systems have been blocked out, replaced by images, numbers, I don't know what kind of crap exactly…"

"It's a code, you dimwit mutt. And if you close that big mouth of yours for a while, maybe I'd manage to concentrate and solve it!" Kaiba's voice came in response.

"WHO DID YOU CALL…"

"Hey, look!" Yugi exclaimed, indicating to the screen. The symbols had disappeared, each replaced by a letter. Seto had just solved the code. But all the letters filling the screen were now only two words, repeated constantly:

Good…boy…good…boy…good…boy

Seto and Mokuba jolted out of their sits, having suddenly paled to death. Mokuba hugged Seto tightly from his waist, but his terrified eyes never left the screen.

And then the message came:

"Congratulations, Seto. I knew that you'd solve the code so easily and you'd recognize me, isn't so?"

Seto's eyes widened with horror, he wasn't prepared to face this again, as he was the previous time… It had all happened in no time, so many years had passed… But he knew. He narrowed his eyes.

Behind him, Irma's face was showing pure, deep determination. _And so, it begins…_

"I'm Gozaburo Kaiba. And I'm back!"

"No way!" Yugi shouted. Irma's eyes widened; she hadn't expected _that…_

And then, everything happened too fast. The light that came out of the computer blinded them all for some seconds. Then they started to lose their sensations. Irma felt like she was floating; like she wasn't made of flesh and bones anymore, but of some thick airy substance, which the source of the light was consuming. She opened her mouth to scream, to shout, but nothing would come out, there was too much noise, she couldn't hear… could she even breathe? She tried, but she wasn't sure, because the light was leading to darkness, and she was falling…

Their bodies were sprawled on the cold Kaiba mansion's floor, as the aftermath of that bitter encounter. Ten forms lying lifelessly, giving at the pale moon, which was the only that could see them, the sight of the slaughter…

**A/N: **A) They aren't dead, not yet, technically. B) No love triangle in this fic, folks… C) No flames, D) Read, E) I beg you to review! Oh, and F) Take care, from Ellinida!


	8. Nightmares emerged from our Being

A/N: Hello

**A/N: **Hello! The story continues, although somewhat different of how it was supposed to, but I hope more interesting… And no, I don't own blah, blah, you know…

Chapter 8: Nightmares Emerged from you Being

"Ow…" Yugi murmured, as he was awakening from his current state of trance. He tried weakly to stand on his feet, rubbing his eyes and clutching tightly his sore head. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of nothingness.

"Where the hell am I?" He wondered, trying to remember what exactly had happened before… And then it hit him. Gozaburo. He had returned. And he had trapped all of them again to the virtual world, he was sure. This time, somewhere that everything was white. Yugi narrowed his eyes, and raised himself, totally composed. He knew who he was. He was the Pharaoh and nothing could stop him or beat him.

It was then he noticed that he didn't wear the Pharaoh outfit anymore, but the clothes he had in the previous virtual world. _Good thing, _he thought. _More practical, less ridiculous. _His velvet eyes surveyed the area like a hawk, but he couldn't see anything else except white.

"Hello?" He shouted tensely, but he didn't receive any reply. "Guys? Joey? Tea? Kaiba? Anybody here?" Nothing.

Yugi started to get irritated. "Noah! Are you here? Can you hear me?" He yelled. Nothing.

Now that was worse for his temper. "Gozaburo! Show yourself, you disgusting son of a bitch! We both know you are out there, somewhere! Show yourself and confront me like a man!"

Nothing.

Yugi started running. He could get somewhere… Where exactly, he didn't know. But he couldn't sit like this for ages. He had to find someone…

"Going anywhere, aibou?"

Yugi stopped dead on his tracks. _How could this be…I am Atem now!_ He vaguely thought, as he turned, to be greeted by an exact duplicated himself.

"A…Atem?" _That wasn't possible! Could he be… Could he be somewhere else than Gozaburo's virtual world? What had really happened?_

"Yes, that would be me." The figure approached him, with a faint smile on his lips. "You grew up, aibou. You are a man now. Just like I was."

"Atem… Where am I?" Yugi asked, more than startled. He still couldn't believe in his eyes.

"What? No 'I'm glad to see you again' or 'I missed you'? You disappoint me, Yugi. And I thought…" The figure pouted.

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you to be Atem. Atem wouldn't say something like this, you are not him!"

"Oh, really?" The figure's face twitched. "You know what? I'm disappointed." Then he approached Yugi, to whisper faintly in his ear: "Just like them…" And he indicated behind Yugi.

Yugi turned, his eyes widening with shock. Just a few feet ahead, they were all of his friends… sinking into lava and crying helplessly by the tremendous pain and torture, all of their hands raised to catch something invisible to get out of the hell…

"NO!!" Yugi cried out, and bolted to help them. But he couldn't reach them… Tears started streaming down his face. Something was holding him back, he was running but he was remaining in the same spot, sentenced to watch his friends hurt and die, whereas he could do nothing to save them… His chest ached, his soul in pain.

"Yugi, how could you leave us?" Tea's tormented face whined.

"You were always saying that we were friends! Now look at us! This is all your fault!" Tristan joined her, though in a much more angry tone.

"I should have never trusted you! You are a whole lie!" Duke yelled.

"Promises only for naïve children to believe!" Mai followed. "We should have known from the start!"

"No! No, that's not true!" Yugi couldn't help the tears falling. "I want to save you, I just… can't… please…"

"Why? Why?" Serenity and Mokuba were crying.

"I didn't do anything? Why didn't you tell me about this? Why did you put me in such danger, why did you leave me ignorant?" Irma complained, her sea-green eyes glistening with tears. "Why did you put me in all this? I didn't do anything!"

"I… I didn't… Stop, please stop!" Yugi had troubled seeing from the tears. "I swear, I didn't do a thing!"

"That's right." He heard a cold voice. Yugi whipped the tears, only to look up to Joey's eyes. These chocolate, so warm eyes, now so cold and unforgiving… "You didn't do a thing. You left us."

"But I…" Yugi's voice died in his throat. For he now was facing Seto Kaiba. And he gulped. He expected a waterfall of insults, hurting words, but instead, those deep, blue eyes were just staring at his…

And what happened next, hurt Yugi more than any insult could. Seto dropped at the ground, supporting himself with his elbows and his knees, like bowing to a king, his head near Yugi's feet. Defeated. Insignificant. Offering himself to any use.

Yugi felt totally numb. There was no way Seto Kaiba… would accept total defeat. Someone so graceful, so strong, so loyal… He felt like he was choking. Suddenly, he found himself able to move, and he slowly kneeled down to Seto's level. Carefully, he slide his had to the other's throat, caressing his way to grab smoothly his chin and tilt his head up.

He trembled. Seto's eyes were tightly closed, and crystal-like tears were escaping from the edges, rolling down his smooth cheeks, creating wet streams, and staining his face. "Hush." Yugi whispered, and proceeded to wipe those tears away. "Don't cry, Seto, please, don't cry… You don't have to cry…"

To Yugi's further hurt, Seto tried to turn his head away, not determinately, but weakly and sadly, with an emotion Yugi never expected to see in him: Lost hope. No will to fight back. Surrender. "Don't cry… please…" Now Yugi was crying again, as well. "Seto…" How could he give in like this? What made him do so? "Please…" Yugi started running his hand through his friend's hair, trying to calm both down, as he pulled Seto to a warm, tight embrace.

"I believed in you." Yugi heard his rival's – had he the right to call him like that anymore? – usually cold voice, now broken and full of pain and sorrow. He pulled back, and saw his eyes… those blue eyes… he was staring at a broken dragon. The ache in his chest was burning him. "I believed in you." Seto repeated. Then more tears came to the brunette's eyes. "And you… you betrayed me!"

Yugi wanted to speak, but the lump in his throat wouldn't let him. "You betrayed me…" The brunette continued, more tears on his face. "Just like all the others in my life… And to think, there were times that I believed you were truly different… but you just used me." His eyes closed again.

"I u-used you?" Yugi stuttered. "B-but how?"

"You were pretending to be my friend… but the only thing you really wanted, was winning at Duel Monsters and continue with your 'destiny', no matter which way you eliminated any obstacles!" Seto shouted, betray and hurt filling his voice. "I was just an obstacle for you! You offered me friendship to avoid having another enemy! I was nothing for you!"

"What? No!! Why do you think that, I…" Yugi tried to justify himself, but he was soon interrupted:

"Please, Yugi, Yami, Atem, whatever your name is… Don't continue this lie. We both know the truth." Seto had started breathing heavily. "You see, I haven't forgotten Duelist Kingdom. Our duel there. You would have killed me, without having a second thought about it…"

"But you were the one that risked…" Yugi tried to explain, but:

"I was trying to save my brother! What else could I do?" Seto protested, in a cry of agony. "I saw it, Yugi… I saw it in your eyes that you'd kill me… If it wasn't for Tea, I would have already been dead…"

"I wouldn't have done it! I would have never… I would have stopped… I stopped!" Yugi cried as well. "I stopped!"

"Only because you were ashamed of yourself!" Seto cried back. Then, as if of a miracle, he calmed down, looking at Yugi with bitter disappointment. "And you have plenty of reasons to do so. More than I do." Seto shook his head sadly, and lowered his head, saying nothing further.

"Seto! You have to believe me! I didn't…" Yugi couldn't say anything further either. He leaned down, in order to hug the other so tightly, make him realize how much he meant to him and how much he loved his friend, but he caught only air. He blinked. Everything had, once again, disappear. But know, instead of white, darkness surrounded him. Yugi fell flat where he was standing, crying agonizingly, because all of what everyone had said to him was completely true. Guilt was eating him alive, and he could do nothing but sit there and cry, because without them he was also nothing…

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Freaky! Eaky! Creepy!" Joey exclaimed, waving his hands on the air. Behind him, a two very distressed Irma and Tea were following shortly.

"So, you insist that's still nothing to tell me!" Irma continued the inquisition. Tea sighed. How do you explain the unexplainable? They were walking through a labyrinth of gardens with roses, dressed with their usual outfits again. Now Tea, explain.

"There's a high technology program that…"

"I don't give a shit about it!" Irma yelled, making Joey to turn back and look at her wide-eyed. "Oh, relax, I didn't say the 'f' word! Yet!" She told him off. "I'm talking about Kaiba's stepfather! Wasn't he supposed to be dead? Rotten?"

"Well, he was supposed to! And his body does rot somewhere. But his mind is at this computer, and apparently, he found a way to come back and cause us trouble once again!" Joey responded.

"I'm sensing too much love in that family!" Irma scoffed. "Seriously, but what made them hate one another so much? I know that Gozaburo hated Seto because he took over the company, but why did Seto hate Gozaburo so much as to do so in the first place?" It was the only thing Irma hadn't found out yet, and if she didn't ask, she would blow a gasket!

Joey stopped dead on his tracks. "I… I don't know!" He realized, his eyes wide as saucers. But then, he narrowed them. "I guess Gozaburo wasn't so nice of a stepfather…. I mean… I've heard Kaiba saying that he was merciless… Forcing him study all day with no rest… HEY!" Irma had just smacked his head, hardly.

"Now, are we talking or fucking around?" _Here's the 'f' word!_ "Have you ever heard of a child wanting to destroy the man who provides him food and roof, just because he made him _study?_ How naïve can you be to buy that!"

"I wouldn't be surprised in this case! He's Kaiba!" Joey protested.

"Onetime, he was something else!" Irma stood there, realizing what she had just said. If Kaiba wasn't always as now… if he used to be something else… then what have happened to him?

Joey understood that too. "True." He said calmly. "Then I guess… that the abuse wasn't only psychological." And what he had just said, terrified him. Kaiba through that kind of pain? He couldn't imagine… Kaiba never let a flea touch him, how could anyone… The mere thought was driving Joey mad. No one had the right to do such a thing! "I swear, if that has indeed happen, if I find that bastard again, I'll…"

"We can't be sure yet, can we?" Irma sighed. "Tea? What do you think?" Irma asked the other girl and turned, only to see her dazed out. "…Tea? What are you thinking?"

Flashback

"What are you thinking?" Seto asked her, walking gracefully as always towards her. Tea was already standing at the other side of the fence, waiting for him as they had promised, but she seemed to have zone out.

"_Spring." She answered lazily. It was such a hot and sunny day, that she was forced to put her shorts. At the gardens, it was just the paradise. Laying at the grass, closing your eyes, hearing the bird's sweet songs, and smell the intoxicating aroma of roses. It was just lovely._

"_Spring, what about spring?" He allowed himself half a laugh._

"_Spring and summer are my favorite seasons." She smiled. "Yours, Seto?"_

Now he laughed normally. "Well, I guess…You are right. It's so nice out there…" And he leaned backwards at the fence as well, next to her. Tea laughed in response, and tickled his neck. He didn't try to squirm away.

"_Does your stepfather know you're coming and seeing me?" She asked smoothly._

"_I don't know…" He answered honestly. "Maybe. If he does, then if it bothered him, he would have told me. I just tell him that I'm going to the gardens."_

"_Oh…" She just said, and continued running her fingers in his silky hair. "My parents do, you know. They think you are a great kid."_

"_Do they." Seto wondered sadly if Tea's parents just think that it would be great for her daughter to have acquaintances with heirs of billionaires at her age._

_Tea's fingers reached the base of Seto's neck. She lifted the brown locks to see his skin…_

_His scarred skin._

_Tea jerked away, letting a gasp escape. "Where did you get that wound? Seto, what happened to you?"_

Shit. _Seto thought. "Don't worry, I just had a nasty fall… I'm grateful I didn't break my neck!" He tried to cover himself laughing carelessly. He didn't do well. _

"_Are you… are you kidding me?" Tea seemed totally freaked out. "This isn't a scar you can get by falling, I know! I have fallen many times! This is… this is… Gosh, Seto, this is a bite!"_

_Seto flinched. Damn her and her smartness. But he couldn't let her know… he couldn't let her know what had happened to the 'session' last night. He was just grateful that his stepfather didn't try anything else, more intimate… He wasn't a kid now, he knew that if he didn't do something, if he didn't find a way out, he would be raped soon enough…He just wanted to spend some time with his brother and this girl, the only real friends and family he ever had, until he got violated… He wasn't stupid. He knew what was going to come. He just wanted to enjoy his innocence, as long as he could, why did even that have to be so difficult?_

"_If you don't want to tell me, that's fine…" He heard Tea's voice, and silently thanked her. "Come on, I have something to show you!" She grabbed his hand, persuaded him jump the fence and found himself to her garden. Tea waved at him to follow, and, much to his shock and surprise, he saw her opening a trapdoor, hidden under the grass. They sneaked in, and Seto followed Tea promptly, who had started running. After five minutes, the dark corridor was ending at a… window? Seto looked inside, and found himself choking under the realization. The room from the other side of the wall was the basement, inside which, his stepfather had 'taught him a lesson' so many times… he let his gaze fall to the ground._

"_You see, you are right under your house!" She smiled at him. "When I feel unhappy, or sad, I come here and contemplate. It makes me good." Seto nodded in understanding and relief. She didn't know a thing about his abuse. "I can lend you this place, you know."_

"_What?" Seto looked at her confused._

"_Well, if you ever had a fight with Mokuba, and he bites you again like this…" Ok, she was dumb, "Or an argument with your stepfather, you can come here. Trust me. Do you?" _

_Seto's rare smile was enough to melt icebergs. Tea felt her heart flutter._

"_I do."_

End of Flashback

"Earth to Tea!!"

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, dream, dream… Stay in your world!" Irma continued mocking.

"HEY!" 

"Exactly, hey!" Joey followed. "What's that, look at it! Is it really the Kaiba mansion?"

"Let's go!"

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Come on, Mokuba, were are we?" Mai was hopping at her place. "Tell me, kid!"

"Why should I know? It's not like I'm coming here everyday!"

"You have mister Einstein for brother, a travel to virtual world wouldn't be out of question…" Tristan interfered.

"Now, Tristan, that wasn't nice!" Serenity cut him shortly. "Don't you remember what happened the previous time?"

"Serenity's right, virtual world isn't for fun. We should find the other five." Duke supported her. "Mokuba? Any ideas?"

"Hey, why I am the one who have to come up with ideas?" He whined.

"Cuz you're the smartest!" Duke beamed.

"No question about that…" Mai stated boringly. "Talk about yourself, dice freak! I may be blond, not stupid!"

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Seto shifted in his place. He was laying somewhere on his back. He felt so sore… He opened his eyes slowly, and he found his gaze to an expensive office lamp on the ceiling above him. He closed his eyes again, grumbling. He didn't like the light… it was too intense. Turning his head at the side, he tried to raise his hand to protect his freshly awaken eyes.

But he couldn't.

Now his eyes were fully opened. Irritated, he tried to move his hands and legs, only to realize that he was cuffed. A pang of fear shot through him. He tried to raise himself just a little, to confirm what he felt. Iron cuffs were tightly closed around his wrists and ankles, making him absolutely incapable of moving. He had a long time to feel like this…

He looked around. He found himself tied on an also iron… bed? Something akin. No wonder why he was so sore. But the most weird of all, was that he was in the middle of an office… A familiar office…

"Hello, son." Seto's blood froze to the cold voice. He turned his head towards the producer, seeing him sitting on his desk's expensive leather chair.

Gozaburo left the chair and approached his son. His smirk was wide at satisfied. Seto was exactly as he remembered him to be two years ago. Then, they hadn't the time. But now…

He shoved Seto's shirt upwards, exposing his flat stomach and abs. Oh, how much he enjoyed the terrified look in those stunning blue eyes… He brushed his fingers onto Seto's exposed skin, as low as there was, enjoying the smooth and warm flesh under his touch, along with the slight tremble.

"It was a long time, son, wasn't it?"

**A/N: **Don't take me for a pervert, I swear, it _sounds_ wrong! (Unless you have a request, he he! smiles evilly) No, seriously now, if you have any request that you think would fit on the story, just tell me. And even if it doesn't fit, I'll find a way! And Yugi and Atem are somewhat fused in this fic, for those who didn't understand. When I'm saying Yugi, it's Yugi, but now he has become Yami. K? I hope to see you again soon, please read and REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! (So many times I've whined about this, something I'll get, it can't be!)


	9. Strings to Salvation

A/N: Here I am again, after a long-long time

**A/N: **Here I am again, after a long-long time. You see, with my school exams, I haven't as much time to approach the computer, as I would appreciate… Anywho! On with the story! I don't own…

Chapter 9: Strings to Salvation

Seto whimpered slightly, praying that Gozaburo hadn't heard his involuntary cry of weakness. It was a helpless whimper, which was showing his inside, growing panic, no matter how well his facial mask of a neutral face seemed to remain unshaken. He knew; he knew, that, sooner or later, his eyes would betray him. _Those… 'Sapphire' eyes, as everyone so 'discreetly' put it, _he thought with bitter sarcasm, a shadow of rage passing through the very same eyes that moment. Gozaburo would have probably already caught the glimpse of horror in those eyes, which his surprise made him let previously. His surprise and disgust.

For the very hated object of his thoughts, was now towering right over him, caressing his bare stomach. Seto's shirt was pulled upwards, with just one of the elder man's movement, shuttering any defenses Seto could still hold; namely, his dignity. At this thought, it took all of Seto's strength and inner will not to hiccup. He had thought he had escaped this, he really had! But his stepfather's touch was so real… so fucking real! So fucking, violating real! The cuffs that were holding him pinned down, unable to protect himself, the rough surface of that… slate, or something, on which he was forced to lay, the hands stealing the warmth of his skin, wandering from his stomach to his abs… and lower… as low as there was bare skin, for now… leaving no doubt about their intentions… about what they wanted to do… about what they _would_ do…

So fucking real! _STOP IT!_ With this thought, his body tensed even more and tried to squirm away, thing that brought a satisfied smirk on his torturer's face. Seto felt himself losing control and utterly panicking.

What could he do, _what could he do?_ This monster was supposed to be DEAD! Fucking dead! And if he wasn't, that meant they were into some damned virtual world, where… where he had the ultimate control. If that was the case, then Seto doubted that he could hold resistance even if he wasn't cuffed, against whatever Gozaburo wanted to do with him… But he knew that, even if it wasn't necessary, that bastard knew that the complete lack of measures to protect himself, would leave Seto scarred, and maybe it would make him even crumble. The purpose wasn't to get… sexual relief; it was to hurt Seto… in any way possible…

Seto growled, he wouldn't allow that! He immediately thought of Mokuba; if that bastard planned to do something to _him,_ he'd better stay dead! At this thought, his fear and panic were soon mingled with rage and hatred. _Mokuba…what will I do without you? _Seto couldn't even think of it. If something happened to him, then his little brother… No, he _couldn't _allow that!

He was Seto Kaiba.

"Aren't you going to talk to me, son? As I said, after such a long time that we finally meet again… We have plenty of things to say." Gozaburo's smirk widened.

Seto's glare was his worst until now. "I'm not you _son!_" He said, like he was spitting. "And I have only one thing to say to you: Fuck off!" Seto started to fight against the cuffs, but in vain. Now Gozaburo was grinning.

"You always seem to surprise me." He mused, now running his hand on Seto's thigh. Seto froze. Gozaburo continued talking: "Two years since the last time we met, and your attitude remains exactly the same. As your companies, but I saw you've gained more friends in the meanwhile." Gozaburo leaned down, his face next to Seto, who turned his head away and closed his eyes in disgust. "What have I told you about friends, Seto? Do you remember?"

His breath was hitting Seto's cheek, thing that made him fight back a shiver and a pout. Oh, this man was so, so dead…

"Weaknesses, Seto. And do you remember what I told you about weaknesses?" Seto's eyes remained tightly shut. "We destroy them, to make them our strength. I understand the necessity of a family weakness, though it shouldn't exist either, but the others… Look at me!" Gozaburo grabbed a fistful of Seto's chestnut hair and turned his head to his direction. He was starting to lose his temper, once again. From all of the people existing in this world, only Seto could infuriate him so much, in mere minutes!

But that was what was making him so interesting…

When he saw those sapphires opening again towards him, Gozaburo almost let out a cry of victory. But the sight of the newborn and intense smirk on his stepson's face erased that feeling. Seto's smirk was scoffing, mocking; as his owner was.

"Why?" Seto asked, smirking wider. "Why should I spare you a mere look? I never admired you. I never saw you as something special, but as something inferior, instead. You know what I think of you? A desperate, useless virus, which finds pleasure at destroying the other's lives because he hasn't one of his own. This is what you are to me." With the last sentence, Seto's smirk disappeared, and his face was a clear mask of rage. "My life. But I'm not going to make you this favor."

Gozaburo's grip tightened at Seto's hair. He couldn't find the words to express his fury. "Two hours. Two hours with me, and you'll be the same helpless 12-year-old boy you were then. But what am I saying? You already _are_ helpless." Gozaburo smiled evilly. "Because this time, no one is going to come and save you."

"No one ever did. Why should this change now?" Seto shrugged.

"You are and ungrateful, as well." Gozaburo commented. "You really haven't changed at all. Well…" Gozaburo caressed Seto's thigh again, "…you've grown up."

"Get your filthy hands off me, you fucking pervert!" Seto roared, no more Mr. nice Seto. "You had a son!"

"Why, did that stopped me before? Or when you where little?" Gozaburo purred. "I'm sure you remember."

"You…" Seto shook his head, preferring not to talk about the worst day in his life. "Where's Noah?"

"Locked somewhere he can't poke his nose in my jobs. It was a mistake I let him the previous time."

Seto gritted his teeth. "He's your son."

"Was." Gozaburo corrected him. "He's nothing but a shadow."

Seto chuckled. "And you think you are something different." Gozaburo smirked.

"Oh, but I am Seto. As you saw, and as you felt, I can touch you. I can caress you, I can hurt you. In this world, you _feel_. You know why? Because this isn't virtual."

Seto narrowed his eyes, wondering what the hell Gozaburo meant by that. Gozaburo walked towards the window of his office, starting to explain to Seto:

"After our last confrontation, you thought you destroyed me. Truth was, you destroyed only a small part of my underground continuingly growing technologies. I escaped easily then, but I was completely infuriated about what you and your friends had done. Noah never knew the real extent of my computer's activities. There are people who work for me, Seto. They just don't know it. Being inside a computer, gives me ultimate potential. Everything is being done through computers. I have scientists working and researching for me, thinking they work for the government. No monetary issues at all. You see, life in a computer can be really comfortable. But not really real." Gozaburo sighed. "Recently, my researchers did a great invention. Solidifying virtual worlds."

Seto nearly choked._ Solidifying virtual worlds?_ "That means…" _No, no…_

"That I'm real now." Gozaburo's smirk was nearly a smile. "When I said I was back, Seto, I wasn't joking. I meant it literally. And to make this clearer, the virtual world is now combined with the real one. Only that now, I have the ultimate control. I can do anything, as I wish."

If Seto didn't want to hold whatever dignity he had left, tears would have started streaming down his face, right at the spot. Gods, he was in really more trouble than he had thought at the start. And it wasn't only for him. _Mokuba…_He had to escape form this monster, he had to…

…where could he go?

Gozaburo walked again towards him, to tower above his fear. If it wasn't for Seto's ego, he would've started pleading for mercy. No, he had to get away… kill this monster…

Gozaburo's lips landed on Seto's neck, sucking viciously. Seto let a cry, and tried to squirm away. Gods, he was doomed… _Help, help! Somebody, anybody! _He pleaded silently. Tears started escaping the corners of his tightly closed eyes. No, he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him, he couldn't let that bastard win, and _he wouldn't!_

He stopped fighting. And when he did this, Gozaburo stopped his attack.

"I've seen you've learned self-control better." He applauded, looking down to _his_ cold sapphires. Seto was _his._ As he was eight and ten years ago. "Not like eight years before." Seto shot him a glare that said 'I hate you' with the power of a hundred screams. "Your friends would never recognize you if they saw what had happened back then, wouldn't they?"

Seto's eyes widened. He hadn't forgotten how Noah was presenting the past in front of their eyes the previous time. Did that mean that Gozaburo…

His stepfather walked once again towards the window. "In this world, I can make real whatever I want, and then transform it into a shadow again. With a mere thought, I can kill. I can heal. I can imprison, as well." Gozaburo turned his head towards Seto's direction, and licked his lips, making Seto shudder visibly. "I can also show the past to your dear friends, and make you watch."

Had Seto any voice left, he would have screamed. Letting the geek squad see what had happened to him eight years ago… He couldn't imagine the humiliation. Yugi's wide eyes full of pity, Joey losing all the respect he held for him, Tea ready to cry, Irma disgusted… No, he couldn't handle that! And Mokuba? We'd probably blame himself. No, no, no…

"No…" It was a tiny whisper, but well - heard enough.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, son."

"No." Seto swallowed the lump in his throat, along with his dignity.

Gozaburo said nothing for some moments. But then: "Anyway. Here, you see your brother…" The window transformed to a screen, showing Mokuba walking a long road along with Mai, Tristan, Duke and Serenity. "He's the only one you don't have to worry about. I decided to spare you some torture… from the goodness of my heart." He ended sarcastically. Seto narrowed his eyes; he would never trust that man. "But I haven't forgotten that nuisance, Yugi Moto, and how he saved you last time. So I decided to hold him somewhere that he won't bother me further." Seto saw Yugi crumbling in the middle of the darkness. A pang of compassion shot through him, though he'd never show it.

"I figured that the worst punishment would be dealing with his guilt and fears." Gozaburo continued. "It was easy. But you'd be surprised how much it would hurt him seeing your blue eyes losing their spark." Seto's eyes widened in surprise. He knew that Yugi didn't want to hurt him, but did he really care about him? He didn't know what to think anymore.

"And I decided letting those three see the truth about you. One of them already knows half of it, doesn't she?" The scene changed and was now showing the Kaiba mansion, as it was eight years ago. With Joey, Irma and Tea walking towards it.

Seto's scream never reached them.

Kaiba Mansion, Eight years ago

"Wait a minute, we were_ inside_ the mansion, it was night and it was autumn. Now we are outside, it's day and hell, hot!" Joey exclaimed. "And does this place look different, or it's only me?"

"It _is_ different." Irma said, with her senses alarmed, and her eyes scanning the area like a hawk. "But I can't tell whether it's…"

"Hey, look!" Joey interrupted her train of thought. "There are two kids there, let's go and ask them…" Joey ran towards the chestnut haired boy, who had his back turned. "Hey, kiddo, do you know…" When the boy turned, it was like a knife had appeared and cut Joey's rest words.

"It is… it is… it's Kaiba! Little! H-holly Earth!" Joey stuttered. Irma's jaw had dropped to the ground.

"Virtual worlds can represent the past? Since when!!" She couldn't believe in her eyes! So that was why the boy seemed to don't have heard them, he just continued walking towards the fence that surrounded the place. "Tea? Did you know that? Tea?"

Irma turned, to see that Tea had dropped to her knees, with her eyes wide like saucers and her face at the color of the ashes. "No…no…" She murmured, and Irma ran beside her.

"What's the matter, Tea? W-what scares you so much?" Irma was afraid to ask, when Tea started screaming:

"I don't want to see this!! Never, ever again, I don't want to live this again, please, please, I don't want to see this again!! Take me out of here!! Please, please…" Tea's sobs cut her voice.

Joey kneeled beside her, shooting a so worried look at her, then at Irma, saying: "Please, Tea? What's wrong with you? Come on…" But when he looked again at the fence, he almost fell. "Tea… is that girl… you?"

"Y-yes… yes it's me… I never told you… I knew Seto before High School…" Tea didn't even want to talk about this, but now she realized that she would have to watch this all over again. She tried to recollect herself; she had to be strong. She could explain… later…

"Hush! They are talking, let's hear them!" Irma waved them to stop. Then she maybe find out more information about Seto's past…

More that she wanted to. And she realized that, when young Seto said: "I'm sorry I wasn't on time. My stepfather…"

"That's okay. I know." Young Tea answered, and jumped the fence. Now she could lie beside him and touch him as much as she wanted. "Actually, I thought that I had made you wait. I was watching a movie, and it kinda absorbed me."

"Really? What movie?" Both kids sit down on the grass. Seto was simply enjoying his time with Tea.

"Oh, I don't know…" Young Tea rubbed the back of her head. "But it was something… you know, like romance, and stuff like that. A boy was in love with a girl and he was trying to impress her… Anyway, it was funny, and they kissed at the end!"

"Kissed? There isn't a movie in which there are no kissing!" Seto groaned. "Remember the movie we saw last Saturday?"

"You mean, when you threw me the cup of water in my face, because I tickled you?"

"You shouldn't have done that! You knew I'm very ticklish!" Seto protested.

"I know, that's why I did that!" Tea grinned mischievously and tried tickle Seto's side again, but he caught her hand.

"Now quiet, kitty, don't scratch me or I'll bite you!" He smirked.

"I'd love seeing you trying!" Tea bolted on him, and they both started rolling on the grass laughing. Normal Tea smiled involuntarily, and then her eyes started watering. Why, why did she had that damned idea?

The two kids stopped, to catch their breath, lying down and looking up to the sky. Suddenly, young Tea said: "Hey, Seto?"

"Hm?" Young Seto moaned, with his eyes still closed.

"Don't you ever wonder how a kiss would be like?"

Seto's eyes snapped open. "Excuse me?"

"I mean," Young Tea continued hurryingly, "I know it seems gross and all, but they seem to enjoy it so much, like it's the best thing in the world! Wouldn't you want to know why?" Tea's eyes were wide with wonder.

Seto contemplated about it a little. "Well, you have a point… But I guess we'll just have to wait to learn." And he turned to his other side.

Tea remained speechless, but then an idea popped in her mind. "Why?"

"Why what?" Seto turned to face her again.

"Why should we wait to find that out? You're a boy, I'm a girl. Why don't we kiss, to see how it would be like?"

Joey's and Irma's jaws were never gonna return to their previous state after that. Nor their eyes, which had totally bulged out their sockets. Slowly, they turned to Tea.

"I was twelve! It didn't mean anything! Guys, don't look at me like I'm an alien, please…" Normal Tea tried to justify herself. In the meanwhile:

"Uh, Tea, I don't think it's such a good idea…" Seto's heart had started pounding rapidly at his chest. He didn't want this. He was afraid it would destroy their innocence… Hers, because he himself hadn't much left.

"Why? It won't mean anything. Come on, what are you afraid?" Tea's curiosity had got the best of her. She didn't avert her eyes from Seto's lips, the boys at the television were always good-looking, and he was more than that, so it would be perfect.

"No…" He would never admit fear. Fear is for the weak. The weaklings are always punished.

"That's settled, then." Tea started leaning down, towards his face, feeling her heart race raising its speed. She didn't know whether it was her real feeling or just because the guys at the TV seemed like that. She leaned more, and more, tilting her head to the side, careful not to crush their noses together, until their lips met.

Tea remained like this, not knowing what to do further. Seto had frozen. This was a new feeling… weird, but not totally unwelcome. Tea thought that the actors in TV were doing and something else, so she licked his lips with her tongue, eliciting a gasp from her friend, and she tried to get access in his mouth. He obliged, closing his eyes.

"Seto."

Seto's eyes snapped open, and he shoved Tea away. He fought the urge to tremble, he had to be strong, even if that was the last day in his life, he had, at least, to protect Tea. For his stepfather was now standing at the open doorway, looking at him as expressionless as ever, but Seto knew he was past furious.

"Seto, I'm…" Tea was to say she was sorry, but Seto interrupted her harshly.

"Go to you house."

"But…"

"Now." Seto's eyes were so cold, and his voice merciless. Tea almost gaped at him; she could never imagine this side of him. Seto leaned and whispered in her ear, in a panicked voice that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Loud enough only for her to hear. "Run! Please!"

She did as told. In a few seconds, she had jumped the fence and closed the door to her house behind her. Seto looked at her retreating form almost longingly, but when he turned to face his stepfather, his face was showing nothing but cold indifference.

Gozaburo was expecting that. He himself had taught his son. "Come in, Seto, we have some things to discuss."

Seto obliged. Knowing, the same time, that when his stepfather would close the door behind him, nothing would be as it used to be. But of course… he hadn't another choice. His life was a dead end. He hated that.

He walked into the house, looking only straight ahead. He never saw young Tea opening the trapdoor she had shown him and slipping inside.

The three spectators remained like statues for a moment more. After that, it was like Joey had drunk kerosene. So fast he ran towards the door.

"Come on!" He shouted at the other two. "Who knows what he'll do to him! We have to stop him!"

"How exactly?" Tea asked sarcastically. "We can stop nothing. Everything is done and finished. There's nothing left to do."

"Yes, Tea's right…" Irma braced herself. "I prefer not seeing his stepfather beating him… That bastard deserved every woe Seto brought upon him and more!"

Tea looked at Irma for some moments, and then she got out a crazy laugh. "Beating him? Oh yes, beating him! Ha ha ha… Beating him… that's a good one!" Tea continued laughing crazily. "Why should he beat him, when he had already done it so many times in the past? Shouldn't be this 'special sin' punished more strictly, since it was more severe? You think that only beating can be violating to a child?"

At her words and crazy demeanor, Joey paled like a ghost. "I'm going in." And he bolted inside.

"Joey, wait for us!" Irma cried out to him, grabbed Tea and followed him. When she got inside, she spotted him. He had frozen, like he was outside. Only that now, his expression was horrified.

Gozaburo was standing in front of Seto, looking rather calm. Seto was meeting his gaze courageously. "I see you've grown up rather quickly." Gozaburo commented. "You got a little too friendly with that little friend of yours." Seto said nothing.

Then Gozaburo glared at him. "Your body isn't your own, Seto. You can't do it whatever you want. Your body is _mine_, since I adopted you. When you won that chess game, you surrendered your body to me."

Seto's lips were forming a thin line. Gozaburo noticed. "Don't make that face with me. I feed you, I dress you, I'm providing you education…in all of its forms," Gozaburo smirked, while Seto glared. "And you'd be happy to know that I even protect you."

"From what?" Seto made a great effort not to spit at him. Gozaburo continued smirked, and proceeded to caress Seto's cheek and hair. Seto looked at the groping hand, trying to control himself.

"Do you know, my beauty… Do you have any idea, how many business associates of mine, have offered almost their companies, in order to have a night with you?" Gozaburo almost whispered, and Seto nearly choked. He looked up at his stepfather, for the first time with a glint of fear in his eyes. "I, of course, objected."

"Because you are smarter than that." Seto observed, disgusted. "Because you don't 'educate', or 'train' a heir for your precious company, to make him a whore afterwards. You know the game." Seto ignored the lump in his throat. "If you sold me to them, or even 'rent' me, when you'd have to retire and I'd have to take over the corporation, no one would respect me. I couldn't make them do anything, and they would threaten me with publicity. So you'd lose your precious company."

"Excellent, Seto. You passed this lesson." Gozaburo licked his lips, satisfied with his stepson ability to see far. "I, also, don't sell to others the best things. I prefer keeping them for myself."

"Thanks for the compliment." Seto scoffed. "But I think I'll pass."

"Nuh-uh. I don't think you have this alternative." Gozaburo shook his finger mockingly. "Remember, Seto, I _own_ your body."

"You own _nothing_ of me!!" Seto screamed, but the next moment, Gozaburo had grabbed him from his hair, and he was dragging him towards the basement. He shoved Seto in like an inanimate object.

"Tsk, tsk. You'd better behave, Seto. Unless, of course, you want your brother get unexplainably lost… or that blue-eyed girl." He said, grabbing Seto again and shoving him again, this time onto the nearby bed.

Seto felt his chest burning from ache. He didn't have a choice… Gozaburo was right, those you love are only weaknesses, he could handle it for Mokuba, but it was wrong to come close with this girl… But nothing was going to change.

Gozaburo hadn't waste time. He pinned Seto in the mattress and started kissing the boy's neck, straddling him. Seto was, truly, terrified. "NO! No, STOP! Don't please, please DON'T!"

Gozaburo slapped a hand onto his stepson's mouth. "Shut up, boy! And I thought you didn't want your brother hurt… anyway, that's not my problem." Gozaburo unbuttoned Seto's belt, and proceeded binding the boy's wrists.

Hot tears streamed down Seto's face, moistening it. "S-stop. It's not necessary. I'll behave." Seto felt the world swallowing him at these words. Consensual, non-consensual, what was the difference anymore? As long as Mokuba was safe, every bit of sacrifice was worth it.

Gozaburo stopped. "Really, Seto?"

"Really. As long as Mokuba is safe." Seto voiced his previous thought. He tried to get his body relax onto the mattress, to show Gozaburo the truth of his words. It felt more like the mattress was lava in which he melted. But the tears never seemed to stop.

"And if I tell you to take off you shirt, will you?" Gozaburo asked, more than pleased, and Seto obeyed. Soon, the white shirt was lying on the floor, leaving Seto bare-chested. Seto's tears became more intense, as he fought back his sobs.

"And open your legs, so I can sit between them?" Gozaburo continued playing with the boy's fear and humiliation. Seto obeyed, rather difficultly this time, more tears staining his face. That monster of a stepfather knew what he was doing. Seto hadn't another _choice!_

Gozaburo would perhaps have wondered if he was too cruel with the boy. But he was in a short of trance. He saw nothing, other the little body beneath him, served on a silver plate. He leaned down and started kissing, and biting the pale body. He barely heard the velvet, and cold voice: "Someday, Gozaburo, you'll pay for what you've done to me. I swear to God, someday, my revenge won't be to take it lightly. Remember my words."

But he didn't pay attention. Not until he heard the shuttering noise from upstairs.

"What the hell??" Gozaburo groaned, and when the noise didn't stop, he realized he had missed his chance. He couldn't continue this. The word furious wasn't enough to cover his temper. The words escaped before he knew it: "You'll have cut the ties with the girl until tomorrow. And to the next chance you give to me, you won't be so lucky." And then, he ran upstairs.

Seto stayed still for a while, trying to grasp what had just happened. Oh yes, he was going to be raped… and then… he escaped? He wouldn't…? He was safe for now?

He climbed down the bed with slow movements, and then he pulled on his shirt. He had a chance. He couldn't screw up. From now on, he would have to be what exactly his stepfather wanted him to be. This time, violating the soul.

He got upstairs later. The huge window at the front of the mansion was now shuttered into tiny pieces of glass. Someone had thrown a rock. Creating a damage of God knew how many thousands of dollars. Seto smiled.

At the next garden, young Tea was bracing her knees, with her face pale and her eyes horrified. "Seto… what was he about to do to you?" She had seen everything. And she had thrown the stone.

Irma and Joey looked at each other. And then, she hugged him.

"Oh, Joey… it's so cruel… what has happened in this house." Her eyes didn't water, they never usually did, but her voice was trembling.

"I swear, if I find Gozaburo ever again, I'll…" Joey hadn't words to express his anger. What that bastard had done… Seto didn't deserve it! Joey decided never call him Kaiba again.

Tea looked far at the horizon. "Seto…" She whispered. "I'm your friend… I never stopped being one."

Then the darkness surrounded them, and they felt like they were falling… but who really cared?

Until they ended up in the middle of an expensive office.

"Hello, little ones. I was looking forward to see you." They heard that voice, oh, that so hated voice! Irma turned and she was the first to see Gozaburo… caressing Seto's bare stomach. And Seto tied onto that iron bed. Helpless. With his eyes closed, fighting back the tears.

"I was too." Irma smiled evilly.

**A/N:** Yes!! Done, done, done!! Should I change the rating? I have some doubts. We shall see, maybe I'll change it for safety. Let me know what you think! And REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! If that chapter isn't worth it, then I don't know what it is! Bye my friends!


	10. Challenge of Debts

A/N: Hello, hello, hello again for another time

**A/N: **Hello, hello, hello again for another time! I finally changed the rating for the previous chapter, as well as this one, this time for violence. Well, of course, when I changed the rating I was afraid that I'd be kicked out, so I changed it quickly and I could find my story nowhere! My exams are still on hold, three subjects gone, other eight remain! Enjoy the story!

Chapter 10: Challenge of Debts

What had she just said? It couldn't get register in Joey's mind, it just couldn't! Irma should have, _would_ have something to play! She couldn't… she couldn't just betray them, could she? What if she was a lie from the very start? A Gozaburo's puppet? No, that couldn't be the case; his friends had never betrayed him, he didn't recall any other occasion like that. Usually, the enemies were plainly obvious, and they were becoming their friends afterwards. Treason had never occurred…

Except in Mai's case…

Joey shook his head, no; this wasn't the time to think like this. He looked at Tea, whose eyes, full of hurt and sorrow, were constantly darting at Seto's helpless, violated form. Then Gozaburo, who had stopped caressing Seto's stomach, but he still had his hands upon the bare skin; Joey felt the urge to crash those damn fucking fingers in his fist, and he wouldn't regret a single bit. Irma was still exchanging smirks with him, but Joey knew she was just restraining her anger. And there was Seto…

Joey was immensely surprised to recognize the same proud man he had met four years before. Only that now, he was more… emotional, more… human. Joey felt a lump forming in his throat; if he had to see something like _this_ to say that Seto Kaiba was human… Joey didn't knew for whom he was more sorry for: Kaiba – no, Seto – or himself.

And he was also beautiful, and sensual, Joey admitted quite reluctantly. Those blue eyes were glistening; he was holding back the tears. Joey wondered if it was just the fact that he knew for what Gozaburo wanted to use Seto, and it was just his impression. _It was just a kid! He still is, in a matter of way! How dares, that bastard…_

Gozaburo's voice snapped him out of his thoughts: "I can say I certainly didn't see the last part coming. What a surprise." He mocked. Joey sighed; Irma was in their side.

"Believe me, there are more surprises than this one…" Irma's patience suddenly came to an end; Her face changed in a mask of soulless rage. "What do you think, shall we surpass them all, and you'll hand Seto quietly over, and _stop touching him you freak!!"_

Gozaburo raised an eyebrow and continued tapping playfully Seto's stomach, who let a sound between a growl and a groan. Irma had started fuming; this was always her weaker spot. She couldn't control her emotions. Sure, she had learnt something over the years, but… same rule applies. If she wanted to save Seto, she would have to be composed.

Gozaburo looked amused with her inner struggle. "Fine, if you can answer me one question."

Irma didn't like that at all. "If you say something along the lines 'names and directions of people who died in Titanic', I swear I will…"

"No, not like that at all." Gozaburo answered more amused, and Seto groaned louder, and rolled his eyes. Titanic! Where had she lost her brains? The little brains she had, already! And what were those dorks waiting to set him free? Why was he keeping them, anyways!

Oh yes, they couldn't… They couldn't face God, this time. And… he wasn't keeping them. He was just shoving them away… To the hell with the conscience! If he could find someone to blame, it wouldn't be right, yet it would make him feel better… For some seconds.

Gozaburo spoke again: "Do you have any idea to who you are talking to, you dimwit doll?" Seto gritted his teeth; the only person that was to blame, was this bastard. Fine, let him have him. Rape didn't sound so terrifying now… Not compared to what Gozaburo could do to other three innocent souls. Ok, not so innocent maybe, but still. He looked at Tea. So she was the one who saved him…

"Obviously." Irma answered without any hesitation.

Now it was Gozaburo that was fuming, the nerve and the stupidity of that girl. But he didn't let show. "I don't think so."

"Well, then perhaps I should explain." Irma scoffed, too pleased with the turn of the tables. "You are Gozaburo Kaiba, father of Noah Kaiba, who was killed in a car accident ten years ago, Jacqueline Missel Kaiba's husband, who died nine years ago, former owner of Kaiba Corporation, overthrown by his elder stepson Seto Kaiba, who you had abused brutally and even attempted rape to. Also former stepfather of Mokuba Kaiba, Seto's little brother, whom you used at his ignorance to make Seto do what you want…" Irma threw the last word with a face of utter disgust. "And now a virus into a computer system, manipulating 3000 souls to work for you from the outside. Smart people, but so focused on money, are they?"

"Attempted? How do you know I haven't done it already, what makes you think so?" Gozaburo had obviously stopped at this spot.

"Well, he may be a jackass but he's not a psycho…"

"…Yeah sure… you should ask me… have you ever heard that maniacal laugh he gives when he duels?" Joey couldn't restrain the words. He slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening.

"Thanks mutt, that's really helpful in the situation I'm currently in." Seto scowled at him, even if he had the slightest urge to smile. Joey was of the few things that could never change. What was this, bad or good? Seto decided that if it was the same, he liked it. Tea looked at Joey with a look that was saying even-a-last-drop-of-shame-hasn't-been-left-upon-you?

"…Plus, I have a friend who is a psychologist." Irma finished, referring to Taranee. Dance lessons weren't always enough to have that richly lifestyle of hers.

"You gave information about me to a _psychologist?_" Seto titled his head to glare at her.

"To a _friend."_ She protested.

"So you were gossiping about me."

"No… I mean… Kaiba that's the least of your worries right now!" Irma almost hit her foot on the floor, her cheeks tainted red. Seto knew that, he didn't want her to remind him. He just wanted to mess with her a little. Even if it was for the last time. His smirk gave it away.

"So I see you're well informed." Gozaburo interrupted them once again. "I wonder from where."

"Industrial Illusions. With a tiny price."

"So you've met Maximilion Pegasus." Gozaburo smirked, them turned to Seto. "You heard that, son? An industrial spy. What a pity, isn't it? She's quite attractive. What a deceptive charm."

"I'M NO SPY!" Irma screamed with anger and horror. Before she could utter another word, Gozaburo was right in front of her. He grabbed her from the neck and lifted her up.

"STOP IT!" Joey and Tea run towards them, but with a Gozaburo's mere motion, they were lying flat on the floor, near Seto. Joey tried to stand up and approach Irma; his whole body was in ache. He couldn't move.

"Mutt… get on!" Seto whispered, trying not to attract Gozaburo's interest… he laughed ironically with the thought from the inside. Joey suppressed the urge to tell him off, his insides were burning. Tea was just lying where she had fallen.

"And what a price, may I ask? Except from spying, do you use to warm his bed as well?" Gozaburo continued, enjoying this immensely. How much would that hurt Seto! Not that he wanted to see his precious sapphires hurting too much, of course…

His fingers tightened their grip around the slender and delicate neck of the girl. He heard her weak cry; he saw the tears forming at the verge of her eyes. Beautiful sea-green eyes, he could tell they were competing Seto's blue's. They did have their depths, their charm, and their aura… But they would never have the soul. This soul belonged to the blue-eyed boy and nobody else. Nobody. But those emerald eyes… Gozaburo had a weird feeling for those eyes. Like this was the first of the many, many times he would see them at the future… he would see those eyes…

The abrupt and rather painful kick between his legs, snapped him into reality. For while his mind was up in the clouds, his head was lowering to sink his own gray eyes at the sea-green ones, searching for some truth, some information… Only that Irma didn't think of it as that. That bastard had tried to violate Seto. She wouldn't allow him to violate her as well. She kicked him rather unmercifully.

"Take that, you bastard!" She spat venomously, as she was trying to recollect herself. Gozaburo was forced to leave her.

"Now, now, don't get all too gutsy around me." He smiled, no matter his pain. "You won't like it at all."

"Oh, but I bet I will!" She almost screamed at him. "Gozaburo Kaiba, I'm challenging you to a duel!"

"What the hell are you saying?!" Joey yelled at her. What was she, crazy?

"I know what I'm doing!" She reassured him.

"You don't know how to duel!"

"Oh, but I do." The last sentence was said to a low, determined whisper.

"I suppose you do. Pegasus didn't give you only information, did he." Gozaburo said with an evil smirk and let everyone know what he meant by that. Irma decided not to play his perverted game this time.

"Oh, you disappoint me, Gozaburo. I bet you'd be more farsighted. Would you really think that I would step so low as to sleep with a man in _your_ age?" She laughed ironically. "But I was sure you'd see it this way. Because you don't bother yourself to understand how the mind of other people works. So, you underestimate them, and this shall be your greatest mistake. Really, will you never learn? You underestimated Seto dearly. Or so I thought. But that was only superficial, wasn't it?"

"Continue." Gozaburo said simply, totally composed.

"No, I won't. The rest in our duel."

"Oh, so you're so sure that we'll have our duel."

"I'd be more than surprised that the man who taught Seto Kaiba his philosophy, would step back from a challenge."

Gozaburo smirked, she wasn't that stupid. But she had made the mistake to show it. "I guess we both know the prize." He glanced towards Seto.

Seto blinked. Was he now the prize of a duel and its outcome? Hot rage engulfed him, what did they think he was, an object? Just meat and bones? He tried to clear his mind, but he couldn't, the things couldn't get any worse. Irma and… and… _Pegasus?_ Since when! Pegasus had sucked his and his brother's souls out of them, just to bring his dead wife back. Had he moved on? Seto couldn't imagine him with _Irma…_ why did his chest ache so much? Just to think of his precious emeralds with… with… No! No, she couldn't have done that! He knew her – or so he thought – she would never do something like that. Even if he had his doubts now about her persona, it wasn't at this field.

"But what makes you think I care?" Gozaburo continued. "I rule this world. With one of my movements, you'd be dead by now, girl. I could kill all of you, then have Seto, and then kill him too. Why should I care about a stupid challenge?"

"Gozaburo… if this is really the case… why haven't you done all those things yet? What are you waiting for?" Irma asked with innocent eyes.

Gozaburo didn't answer. Why? The answer was so simple. To make them suffer more. So then, why couldn't he answer?

"I thought so." Irma said quietly. "If we're going to duel, a duel disk please. And my deck."

"The terms? Since you are in my world, I have the courtesy to let you arrange the terms." His voice wasn't so full of sarcasm as Irma thought it would be, as he did what she asked.

Irma glanced towards the three of her friends, and she immediately remembered Yugi, Duke and the others. "Well, if I win, you'll let all the ten of us free. If you win… you decide."

"Lack of inspiration?" Gozaburo smirked. Irma didn't answer. It was time to duel.

Seto didn't bother to look at them. He noticed though that Irma was a fairly good-player. Where had she learnt playing? From Pegasus, sure… Seto drifted at his thoughts. Let's say she wasn't sleeping with him; thing he was sure that she could never do. Whatever happened, he knew how to judge a character, and he'd bet his head that she would prefer to die than do something like this. But why had she gone to him? How did she know so much about them? Did she know the story of all of them, equally? Or had she done research only for him? And again, why?

Maybe she was an industrial spy. She joined the group to try to get some of his ideas. But that didn't make sense, if it was so, she would constantly trying to seduce him, not to piss him off. In fact, she wasn't trying to get near him; she was constantly trying to hold herself away. Did she hate him? It was possible. But then, why was she fighting for him?

Seto turned his head to the other side. She wasn't fighting for him, but for her friends. He didn't think that she wouldn't give a damn if she left him at the hands of Gozaburo, but that wouldn't be because it was him and it mattered; it would be because he was a human. And he knew that this was the case and with the others, they had protected him not because he was who he was, but because he was a human being and they couldn't let anyone suffer. Friends, pfeh!

He remembered Mokuba, and vaguely wondered if he could see him ever again… Mokuba was the only person that really loved him… and he couldn't even remember what were his last words towards his little brother! Seto felt his eyes watering, but he knew that he would never cry.

Suddenly, he felt a cool hand brushing away the bangs on his forehead. He looked upwards, and saw Tea, soothing him and holding him sane.

Was she crying? He couldn't tell, but her eyes were surely wet. He felt his heart wrench. She had saved him. And he learnt it just now. Why hadn't she told him? Wouldn't he believe her?

He remembered what had happened after. She had met her the next day, stared oh so coldly at her cerulean eyes, and he'd told her to get lost from his sight. That he would never see her again. That she was worth only of his detest. Now he understood; she hadn't cry _then,_ as he originally thought, her eyes were already red and puffy, and she accepted everything with just a nod. A week later, she moved away from the neighborhood.

He met her after four years, at High School. And he remembered also how she had looked at him when she saw him again. His stepfather was lost now, he had decided to go to the local High School; he couldn't stand any other tutors. She had approached with a 'Seto', when no one else was around, and he had replied with an 'it's Kaiba to you'. From then on, she stopped trying to approach him further. She had her friends.

And he remembered, also, that she had saved him in the Duelist Kingdom. She had yelled at him, but that didn't matter. She had still saved him. He remained indifferent, though.

Tea's face was leaning closer to his. "Can you ever forgive me?" She whispered weakly, guilt written in her face.

"I have forgiven you since I told you to run into your house." He responded, with a sad smile. "Tea… thank you… for throwing that rock."

"I… I wasn't sure I had saved you." She bit her bottom lip. "I learned that only today. These tears aren't only of sadness. I thought that it wouldn't stop him… or if it did, it would be like preventing the inevitable… or something that had already happened."

"Hush, now it doesn't matter." Seto couldn't find something else to say. He wanted to hold her hand and squeeze it… but the cuffs would never allow him to.

"Uh – uh!" Joey coughed discreetly. "May I interrupt?"

"You already did that, mutt." Seto sighed. "What?"

"I'm no mutt!! And spare a look: Irma is playing so well, it scares me! Where did she learn to?"

"I don't know and I don't give a damn." Seto turned his head to the other side.

"You don't even want to know what the score is? Our freedom depends on it!" Joey stared at his ex-rival in outmost disbelief.

"Don't be so naïve, Joey. Gozaburo can control everything here. Whether he wins or loses, he'd never hold the end of his bargain. Irma is just buying us some time to say goodbye, and she knows it."

Joey was so shocked with the thing that had just left Seto's mouth that he didn't comment about his first name. "_Excuse me?_ Is this the same Seto Kaiba I met four years ago? How can you say something like that!! When did you give in? How, why the hell did you give in??"

"This is what I have mutt, okay? Take it or leave it!"

"I'm planning neither! Kaiba, you can't give in!" Joey, furious, grabbed both of Seto's arms, pinning him further onto the metallic slate. "Do it for Mokuba!"

"I've done plenty of things for Mokuba for the past sixteen years." Seto stated soullessly. "I'm sorry."

Joey shook his head sadly. "You had so much strength inside. Where did it go? I pity you."

_That_ brought a reaction. "Why the _hell_ don't _you_ try undergoing what _I_ have! You fucking mutt, you think I haven't fought?? I'm tired!! I'm human!! I'm TIRED!" Seto broke. The tears cascaded freely down his eyes, making them shimmering. "I've fought so hard, in all of my life! When I finally thought that I had done it, everything collapses!! And I'm rebuilding it! And it collapses again!! And I'm rebuilding it again! And again! And again!" Now he had started sobbing. "I'm sick, I'm so... so sick of all of this circles, I want it to end! I don't care anymore, I want it to end!"

He hadn't noticed that Gozaburo and Irma had stopped their duel. When he did, he lied again on his back, trying to suppress the tears, and wished for the Earth to open and swallow him. That was it. After this outburst, he was more than doomed.

"Well…" Gozaburo said. "It was a miracle he lasted that long."

Irma's Purple Mermaid destroyed his Soldier of Darkness. "He's not lost." She had to win, damn it!

Gozaburo revealed the trap-card Chains, which restrained the Mermaid. "Not yet. But I grew tired of this. Let's just end this, shall we? I activate Rebirth, and I bring my Soldier of Darkness back."

Now that Irma's Mermaid couldn't protect her, Irma cursed silently. But what the hell was he saying? Even with a straight attack, her life points couldn't go down to zero. She felt an irrational fear; it was more than met the eye…

When the Soldier's Sword slashed the air, she understood. A second later, it had slashed her flesh as well.

She screamed, and held her thigh, where the Soldier had hit her. There was a deep, long cut there, which had ripped her jeans and she was sure that it has reached the bone. Its length was from the knee to her upper thigh, and the blood was now cascading and covering the rest of her leg. She fought not to scream again, but she couldn't help it. She stumbled weakly.

"What, Miss Lair? Can't you take a little pain?" Gozaburo mocked in a perverse satisfaction. She was losing blood rather quickly, and her vision was starting to get blurry.

Irma tried to reach a hand to her deck. This card, this card was the only thing she had left! She glanced at her friend's side: Joey and Tea were now trying to break Seto's cuffs. They were succeeding, why Gozaburo wouldn't stop them? She couldn't think straight, it hurt too much… _Come on, girl!_ She tried to encourage herself, but unsuccessfully. If she drew that card, everything would end… But did she really want to risk it? Seto would haunt her for the rest of her life if he learned that she had that card… Heck, he'd be able even to hurt her for this; she didn't trust him at all!

"I'm sorry, you're too late." Gozaburo informed her evilly. "It took you too long to draw a card. Your turn is over."

Her protest died at her throat, when the Soldier slashed her waist. She stumbled, and then she fell at her knees.

"STOP IT!" Whose was that voice? The sound was nice… but scared.

"Why, son? Can't you see that she's falling apart for you?" Another harsh voice. Irma felt herself drifting away.

"I'm sorry… Seto…" Was the only thing she could whisper. She felt herself leaning frontward. Then two warm arms around hers, and then nothing.

"NO! NO! IRMA, WAKE UP!" Seto screamed at the unconscious girl in his arms, and then proceeded to shake her. "Wake up… wake up…" He sobbed, his tears falling from his eyes to hers, now, closed. "Please, wake up…" Joey and Tea had freed him exactly when Gozaburo slashed her the first time. Now they were restrained behind an invisible wall, watching what was happening, but unable to interfere. Tea was crying, and Joey was punching madly at the barrier. Seto couldn't even hear them.

"She won't wake up." His stepfather informed him with a cold voice. "She's lost too much blood. Even if she's alive now, she'll stop being in a few minutes."

I can kill… I can torment… I can heal…

"Then heal her, damn it! I know you can!" Seto whipped away his tears and tried to sound composed and determined. "Heal her!"

"Why?" Gozaburo asked, and Seto gritted his teeth. He knew where this was going.

"Because then, I'll behave." He stated soullessly, his eyes looking blankly the dying girl in his arms. "Do it."

"Do I have your word?"

"Absolutely." With nothing more than a flash, Irma's injures were gone, without even a scar. Her eyes were still closed though. Seto thought the worst for a moment, but then she snuggled into him. She was… sleeping? It seemed so. He squeezed her even more tightly in his arms.

"Here. In front of your friends." Said Gozaburo, grabbing Seto from the shoulder. Seto didn't have the courage to protest anymore. Joey started punching the barrier more madly. "I may have your blond friend do it for me." Gozaburo smirked. "Wouldn't that be better? He would be gentler than me, don't you think? I can easily do that, I have his sister here…"

A blue lightning flashed through Seto's eyes. A dragon roared, and then, everything went black.

**A/N:** And I decided to cut it here, because I'll have to, unfortunately, write algebra tomorrow. Can you guess Irma's card? I'll tell you two words: MOVIE SPOILER! Is it okay, or did I make Irma annoying, like the most OCS? Please, tell me what you think. REVIEW! See ya! : D


	11. The Bleeding Sacrifice

A/N: Hello my dear readers

**A/N: **Hello my dear readers! I'm sure you're there, somewhere… if only you could tell me that! ;) That story goes slowly, I know, but the chapters are quite big and I really want to do a nice job… and I have and my exams to worry about… SCHOOL SUCKS! Ok, now that I got that out of my system, we're moving on…

Chapter 11: The Bleeding Sacrifice

"Are you sure we're fine?" Joey asked nervously. Behind him, Tea was following promptly, and she was clinging on his arm for dear life. Seto, who was walking in the dark corridor exactly in front of them, with Irma's unconscious body in his arms, responded in a rather cold voice:

"Of course we are. For now, whatsoever. The Blue Eyes White Dragon left Gozaburo with something to be worried about for a while. The darkness that fell also helps us. We'll be fine."

"I still can't understand how you summoned it." Tea commented, somewhat troubled.

"Easily. Gozaburo's solidified virtual world, can't and doesn't stop to be _virtual._ I just thought intensely of my Dragon, and it was summoned. I tried to distract him, so we could get out. I don't know where the darkness came from, but it surely helped."

"How were you so sure it would work?" Joey wondered loud.

Seto's gaze fell on Irma's form in his arms, then on the floor. He stopped walking. "What exactly did I have to lose? We are in his world. At least we can try to fight him, and not surrender like cowards. If you can accept losing, even if the odds are against you so much that it's impossible to win, then victory is more than impossible to come. If we're gonna die here, we'll die with our head held high!" Seto's eyes were dangerously narrowed.

"YEAH! Kaiba I always knew is back! You're not such a bad guy, after all!" Joey yelled happily and hugged Seto from behind. Seto shivered. He couldn't help but think that, had he surrendered to Gozaburo's will, these arms wouldn't be so gentle, and that hug wouldn't be so innocent. And Joey's eyes wouldn't be so warm and optimistic…

He shrugged him off, never meeting his chocolate eyes, he couldn't. "Paws off, mutt! I'm carrying her, and she's not light!"

Sea-green eyes snapped open in irritation. "I heard that, you over-sized, ungrateful _jerk!_"

Seto raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh? So you're awake? Why didn't you tell, you couldn't suppress the heavenly feeling of being held in my arms?"

Irma glared at him. "You wish, you mister High-Ego." Then she smirked. "Why should I say that I'm awake, since you could easily carry me and save me the disoriented walking?"

Seto smirked as well. "So I guess now you _can_ walk." Without any warning, he opened his arms and Irma found herself bumping very non-lady-like on the ground, with her butt. Seto walked above her with a step and continued unaffected.

"I got slashed in two pieces for your sake, you fucking asshole!" She bitched at him, trying to stand up.

"Well, nobody told you so. At least, you could learn from your mistakes, and stay out of things that don't concern you." Seto didn't grace her with a mere look; his back was constantly turned towards them as he continued walking forwards.

"FINE!" She snapped. "Next time, I'll let him rape you, for all I care! Will you be satisfied with us _then?"_

"Very." Was his flat response.

"Come on now, Kaiba, we know, and you know you don't mean that." Joey, strangely enough, didn't yell at him. "After all we saw, how can you expect us to believe something like that?"

"Because I thought you had enough brains to do that, but apparently you don't." Seto turned to face them, at last. This time, he walked towards them, his cobalt eyes glistening. "Didn't you see in how much danger I put you through this? Why would you want to continue helping me? You saw what almost happened!"

"Seto… you really have to stop hating yourself that much. What's happening is not your fault, after all." Tea whispered, but they all heard her. Seto was to give her a well-paid response by reminding her what she had said the last time 'Because of you we're all trapped in here!' but he stopped halfway. He would prefer to break his hand than start a mellow scene. Joey and Irma looked uneasy.

"So guys…" Irma started. "Does anybody know where the darkness came from? I didn't summon it."

Seto blinked. "You didn't? Then who…?"

A male voice coming from their left interrupted him, responding: "Something that's called Dark Magician, after all. It's in his name." Yugi appeared limping from the darkness that was surrounding them. "We're inside one of the Magic Hats."

"YUGI!" Tea squealed, but didn't run towards him. She was feeling guilty, so guilty, so very-very guilty… Why? She shot a glance at Seto, and then she lowered her head.

Joey ran and supported his friend, who was barely able to walk. He didn't have any obvious injuries, but he looked like a man tormented more than cruelly. "Yuge… are you okay?"

"Gosh, what happened to you?" Irma exclaimed. "You look like shit!"

"And so I feel… I swear, if I find Gozaburo anywhere, I'll make the bastard pay ten times for what he's done!" Yugi looked at Seto, who was as expressionless as ever. "He had the oh-so-amusing idea to make me watch… and feel every inch of your pain, mental and physical, on my skin. I guess he haven't forgiven me for saving you the last time…" Yugi smiled bitterly.

Seto's facial expression softened. "You saw…?"

Yugi nodded. "Everything. I'd usually say that there's still goodness in his heart, as I do every time, but now… Do you have a gun? I'm not satisfied with my current revenge."

Seto shrugged, a little amused with Yugi's rage. It was so rare to see him unforgiving. "Even if I had, it wouldn't help. Only our monsters can help us now, and that a little bit. For those who didn't understand…" He glanced at Joey, who growled, "Gozaburo controls everything here, much like God. He can turn us in air, water, everything. We're basically at his mercy." Seto sighed. "You shouldn't be here."

"Yet we are." Irma stated, matter-of-factly. "Haven't you understand what's going on yet?"

Seto turned and looked at her with the warmth of a glacier. "Then inform me." His voice matched his gaze.

Irma shook her head sadly. "Gozaburo never really lost the company to you. He was planning to leave. His overthrown by you just made things go faster." Seto narrowed his eyes, but she continued. "He was building those computer facilities for years, and that's how he saved Noah. Look around you!" Irma opened her arms, spun around and looked above them. "Do you understand what all these really mean, at the least? Think, just imagine about it! No illnesses. No wars. No physical destructions. No politics. No money. No needs. No death…" Irma lowered her gaze. "No death." She repeated, her eyes glistening.

Seto's blue eyes never stopped narrowing. "And to my disappointment, you seem to be very excited about it. I'm sorry, I don't plan to become like him. I'll try to be more like me. And I'm not immoral."

"Really. And you call the act of sending an old man to the hospital because he didn't gave you a card moral." Irma retorted, through gritted teeth. Yugi shifted uncomfortably, it was his grandpa they were talking about. He and Solomon had long ago forgiven Seto, but Yugi seriously doubted if he had forgiven himself.

And he was right. Seto paled in no time. "I made a mistake, okay? I admit it! What more do you want me to do, at last?!" He almost yelled in desperation.

"I didn't finish." Irma said, more calmly this time. "This place may have no death, but it also has no freedom. The problem is that no one is going to see this if their lives are in danger, or even if they are completely healthy, the bait is too big to ignore. Gozaburo wants to take control of the entire world, I dare to say! But first, he wants to test it. And revenge you, because you dared to beat him." She concluded. "I don't want to imagine how many people he can lure in this trap."

Seto buried his face in his hands. "That shouldn't be happening, what am I going to say to…"

"Nii-sama!!" A black mop of hair was suddenly buried into Seto's waist, attached to a very distraught child. "Where were you, nii-sama, I was so worried!" Mokuba hugged his brother even more tightly.

"Joey, thank God, big brother!" Serenity ran to her brother without any hesitation. Mai ran to Tea, Tristan supported Yugi, and Duke placed his hands over Irma's shoulders.

"Are all of you okay?" He asked her. "Anybody knows where are we?"

"In trouble." Joey responded. "That son of a bitch, Gozaburo, hasn't died yet. Neither has his damned virtual world."

"Shit." Tristan swore. "Yugi, did he do this to you?"

Yugi coughed a little. "Yes. But we got away." He replied, refraining from the 'details'.

"Not in time, as it seems." Mai commented. "Am I the only one who hasn't seen Gozaburo yet? For a strange reason, I don't think I had lost big deal." Her voice was full of sarcasm.

"No you didn't." Seto said darkly. "Come on, we have to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Hey, Seto, where's Noah?" Mokuba asked, in a very concerned tone. Seto bit his lower lip, what could he say? He knew that Mokuba wanted Noah a part of the family. Could he just say that he was deleted?

"We haven't cross paths with him yet." He replied, half-truth, half a lie. He would bring it on, as it should be brought, later.

If there was later on. Seto started bleeding inside. These may were the last moments he had with his brother. His eyes started burning him, that bastard Gozaburo was doing it on purpose! He would… He would…

No! Seto wouldn't allow it! And even if he couldn't avoid it, he wouldn't allow it happen to Joey. Joey was completely innocent with all these. If Gozaburo wanted to take revenge on Seto, fine, but not through Joey, just because Gozaburo had his sister to manipulate him! He wouldn't allow it! And it wasn't just Joey; Yugi had saved him the last time. Tea had thrown the rock. Irma had fought against that bastard. Mokuba was Seto's brother. Heck, even Mai, Duke and Tristan were in serious danger, not to talk about Serenity!

And they didn't know it; most of them didn't know a thing! Seto felt the responsibility heavy on his shoulders. He was indeed responsible for the lives of nine people, and he couldn't think of a way to save them… well there was one…

Without knowing why, he shot a longing glance at Irma, while he was deciding to go to Gozaburo on his own will.

And he would go alone.

Suddenly, he was falling. He vaguely heard the screams, and saw two pairs of eyes: One gray-violet, another sea green. Where had he fallen? He didn't care. Trapdoor, hole, it didn't matter. He closed his eyes, and let the darkness swallow him.

He landed abruptly on a carpet. It wasn't a nasty fall. He blinked rapidly, and then looked around. The beige, thick carpet, the magenta curtains, the old-fashioned bed with the bars and the silky sheets, the wooden closet and desk… That was, without any doubt, his stepfather's bedroom.

He wasn't surprised at all when he felt two arms wrapping around his chest. But he couldn't suppress the pang of ache at his heart, which grew stronger when he felt the hot breath towards his left ear: "You will regret this decision, you know that?"

"I don't think so." Seto whispered. "So now you can hear my thoughts as well?"

"Everything." Gozaburo stated simply. And he just held Seto there for some minutes. Then he started playing with Seto's trench coat, pulling it off. "You didn't tell me, why do you care so much about them?"

"I don't. I just don't want them to see me. It'd happen, anyways, but they don't have to see. It would be rather humiliating." Seto replied flatly. _And I also don't want Joey through this._

Gozaburo chuckled. "Your blond friend will be fine, since you want it so much." When he finished and discarded the trench coat, he started kissing Seto's left ear and neck. "Get on and lay on the bed. Carpet is good, but not as comfortable as the bed."

Seto couldn't believe he was complying, all these were like a really bad dream, they were so unreal! He thought of Irma; she had got slashed in two to protect him from this, and now, he was just complying? That was so wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong! Did he really hate himself that much, as Tea had said? Wasn't it really his fault that all these were happening? Yes, yes, it was, because if he hadn't challenged Gozaburo to that chess game, he wouldn't be there now, none of them would! He would have a regular job, many friends, maybe even a girlfriend. He would have to worry about regular things, like getting a car or buying a house. He would work hard, but he would have vacation and then he could go on a picnic and lay on the grass… He could sing, even if he sucked to it. He wouldn't care that much what others would say. He would be happy…

He shook his head. No. It wasn't Gozaburo's fault he wasn't happy now; it was his own. He could be happy if he really wanted it, if he really tried, but being happy was too risky in his world. Mokuba was making him happy… he didn't need anything else. And now…

Seto hiccupped involuntarily. Was he really feeling Gozaburo's hands at his skin, pulling off his shirt, then his boots, then his pants? Had he really lowered himself to this, just to save nine people he didn't care about? That wasn't true, he cared about Mokuba. Yes he did, he did… Seto gritted his teeth. If he had to do this, he would. He closed his eyes tightly, when he felt Gozaburo's hands at his boxers, the only thing he was currently clothed in. When he opened them again, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

And then, he was free.

"I was wondering when would you break." Gozaburo commented. He had gotten off Seto, leaving him startled, off the bed, and he was walking in circles above the carpet. "When was the last time you cried, Seto?" He stopped and looked at his stepson.

Seto was too shocked to respond verbally. _When was the last time I cried? I cry every night in my dreams, since I met you! I cry for the past I lost, the only thing I shouldn't cry for! I cry for my inability to make myself happy! I cry, because I don't know what happiness should be like, because no one taught me so, except for Mokuba! I cry for the pathetic present I have, and the future I can't gain! Ain't they enough for you? Congratulations, because it's your creation!_

Seto was left breathing heavily, because he knew Gozaburo had heard him. His stepfather shook his head sadly. "Seto, you never understood that the only reason I wanted you unhappy, was because I was unhappy myself…"

"Oh believe me, I had!" Seto found his voice again, although shaken with rage and hatred.

Gozaburo continued: "I had just lost my family, and, as incredible as it may sound to you, I loved them. I loved you too, with time. I still do."

That was it.

"You LOVE me? You call what you've done to me LOVE? How, how, HOW?" Seto's screams were shaking the room. "How can that kind of thing come out of your mouth?? JUST HOW?"

"Calm down." Gozaburo whispered soothingly, something that didn't work on Seto. "I never said I _wanted_ to love you. It just happened."

Seto shook his head in disgust. "You…me… You disgusting bastard, I…"

"And, I'll have to tell you, my love towards you was somewhat confused." Gozaburo interrupted him again. "I couldn't allow it to be as a father towards his son, you weren't my son, you'll never technically be. I never had any real friends, so it couldn't be that. I found myself admiring your intelligence, your good spirit, your kindness, your innocence, even your beauty." Seto cringed. "But I would never admit that I was feeling something good towards the little brat that beat me in chess. For some time, I was saying to myself that my feelings were so, because you were to be Noah's shell. But with the time passing, I decided you were too smart to let you go. My son started fading away. I started realizing that he was dead, no matter what I did, and I couldn't bring him back."

Seto knew what was going to come. "So, you tried to beat away whatever you loved in me, so you'd stop doing so." He continued his stepfather's thoughts, almost completing the puzzle, remembering his torturous moments at the basement.

Gozaburo smirked. "I was always saying you were smart." Then he sighed. "But that didn't work, either. In the meanwhile, I started having acquaintances with… well, pedophiles. The children from the wars our guns were provoking, were taken to these… organizations."

"I know. When I took over, I crushed them." Seto said through gritted teeth. "I knew who they were, I had seen them at the company's Balls."

Gozaburo nodded. "And they had seen you too. They had asked me numerous times to let them have you for a night." Gozaburo chuckled. "Only the thought of them touching you was making me want to stab them."

Seto remained silent, afraid of what he was almost sure it'd come. And it did. "So I interpreted my love for you to lust."

Seto swallowed hard. "Interpreted? Not misinterpreted?"

"Maybe the first, maybe the second. I don't know. That is what I wanted to find out." Gozaburo approached Seto once more. But this time, Seto didn't start trembling.

"If it was lust, you'd have never got off me. You stopped." Seto wondered loudly, and then looked up at Gozaburo. "You know I shouldn't believe a shit of what you just told me, don't you?"

Gozaburo laughed, not so evilly. "Of course, Seto. I wouldn't expect something less from you. But I very believe that it's both, son." He cupped Seto's cheek, making him shiver once more. Gozaburo's eyes darkened, his heart sank; the boy would never accept him. He could have Seto, yes; by violating, hurting him. Did he want to do so? He thought yes.

"Lay on your back." He ordered. Seto didn't move. He repeated: "I said…"

"I heard what you said. And I won't." Came the response.

"Lay on your back!!" Gozaburo lost his temper, and grabbed Seto's shoulders. "Submit to me, at last, damn it!! Do it!!" He barked. Then he froze.

Seto continued staring at him. "I won't."

Plain and simple.

"I never believed you, to start doing so now." Seto continued coldly. "All of what you just told me is a load of bullshit for me. If you loved me, you would never torture my friends. And if you lusted after me, you'd have taken me when you had the chance." Seto smiled bitterly. "You just wanted to make this consensual with every way, to rub it on my face afterwards, and make me feel like a piece of trash. I'm sorry." He continued sarcastically. "But in there's no chance in fucking hell that this will work."

"Damn you." Gozaburo muttered. "Why do you always have to be so fucking difficult?"

"Call it a gift." Seto scoffed. "Oh, by the way: Your virtual world won't last long without you, will it?"

"What the fuck are you talking about!" Gozaburo barked. "I am in this world!"

"Only in a little part of it for now. Unfortunately, for you, you have been concentrating too much on me for quite a while." Seto's evil smile was almost reaching his ears. "I told you, I wouldn't regret this."

"What the… Oh, fuck!" Gozaburo disappeared from the room in no time, when he realized what his stepson was talking about. Seto grabbed immediately his clothes, and started getting dressed.

"Let's hope those idiots have done what they were supposed to, and they didn't waste their time in trying to search and rescue me." He growled, as he was putting his trench coat back on. Now, yes.

At The Other Side Of The Virtual World

"My Harpy Lady, destroy his pathetic world!" Mai yelled. "You too, Harpy Dragon!"

"I summon my Flame Swordsman, and the Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey joined her. "Kaiba, this is for you!"

"Purple Mermaid and White Unicorn, go!" Irma ordered her monsters.

"Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, show this computer what you can really do!" Yugi urged them.

"I summon my Ninja Warrior…" Said Duke.

"…And my Cyber Commander." Tristan followed.

"And don't forget about my Witch of Fire…" Tea reminded them.

"And my Mistress of Light!" Serenity completed the scene. All of the monsters hit the exact spot at the same time. After two seconds, it was like a hole was created in the sky; a hole, which started 'bleeding' data.

"YES! We did it!! Mokuba, you were right!" Tristan was almost dancing, while Mokuba was completely concentrated on the laptop in front of him. A computer into a computer, what an irony.

"We have to hit only one other spot. Then, we can provoke a serious 'wound' at its data, so we can leave it 'limping' and go home." He informed the others.

Irma blinked. "An escapade? We can't do that now!"

Mokuba lifted his head to look at her, and she saw his eyes full of tears. "I know that, you think I don't want to dump all of these and go search for my brother? You can go away. I'll go find him!"

"Unfortunately for all of you, none of you will go anywhere." Gozaburo's form suddenly appeared behind them, and they all turned around to face him. "I admit you went far enough, but the trip ends here! I'll fix the damage in no time, and you'll stay here forever, watching me taking control of everything you knew, even your bodies!" Gozaburo's face was a mask of insanity. "You'll never see the outside world anymore!"

"Wanna bet?"

They all heard the cold whisper, coming behind them. And that height, that trench coat and those blue eyes were unmistakable.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon, destroy his world with your White Lightning attack!!"

The Dragon hovered above them like a white sun; so much was the light that was radiating from it. When it roared, Gozaburo's eyes showed for the first time, a glint of fear. He froze.

The world around them started melting, falling apart. Every tree, every stone, every grass was analyzed into millions of data and it was shattering in the air. Everything started fading… even Gozaburo.

"We're not finished, son! I swear the God, we're not finished! I'll return, Seto! I'll return, and when that happen, I won't come easy on you, as I did this time! I'll return, you heard me??"

"Save it, old man." Was the sneer response. "If you return, I'll put the anti-virus on."

Next to him, most of the others chuckled. Mokuba hugged him tightly.

"I'm fine." Seto reassured them, watching the worried faces of Yugi, Joey, Irma and Tea. "He didn't do anything to me. I'm fine." His smile was warm and genuine, matching his gaze, making his face totally and pleasantly unfamiliar. "I mean it."

Irma's fingers and arms were itching to wrap themselves around him. Thank God Mokuba was holding him, otherwise she might have done that stupid thing.

**A/N: **And their first adventure ends here… maybe! Lol, chill, I'm not serious… or am I? Tell me what you think. REVIEW ME!


	12. Return to Basics

A/N: Hello, hello, hello

**A/N: **Hello, hello, hello! Yes, I'm back! Muahahaha… Anyway, the story continues, if you want, with another angsty adventure – you decide. For now, I'll try my best in romance, friendship and humor. And also, for those who read – check on my profile page. There are summaries of stories I have half-written but not posted. If you're interested in anyone, message me and I'll post it. Now to our stuff:

Chapter 12: Return to Basics

Irma groaned, as she was trying to get up from the cold floor of the Kaiba Mansion. She grabbed her waist – man was she feeling so sore! Who knows how long they had been there… She rubbed her head and yawned, all these was like a dream… A really bad, but interesting dream. She looked around; everyone was grumbling and trying to recover, always into their masquerade attires. Gozaburo had probably changed their attires in the virtual world… yeah, it would have been rather ridiculous to run and fight around, especially her, being half-dressed as she was.

"Your wings are falling, Lair." She heard the mischievous deep voice. Oh yes, Seto Kaiba. Wasn't this the man all these had been about?

"Like to steady them for me?" Oh, wouldn't she show him! But her 'fairy' sea-green wings were indeed falling from her back. She turned her back towards him, and then lifted her hair, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

Gods, that sexy, knowing, arrogant smirk again…

"My pleasure." Was her idea, or did he give special emphasis to the word 'pleasure'? When touched her back to tie harder the wings, she literally fought back a gasp and a shiver.

Joey groaned. "Get a room, you two! I can't believe that after all these, you are into flirting! Kaiba you're insensitive!"

"I'm not flirting, I'm stating facts." Seto played along, while Irma was blushing. Joey was right, but she was…

"Then the next time you'll be 'stating facts', don't state them to me, please!"

"You're a mutt, and that's a fact."

"Oh, so you couldn't resist!"

Seto's eyebrow was raised in a very dangerous way, saying: I'll-cut-you-neck-if-you-utter-even-a-single-word-further, while Mai and the others had started giggling. Joey realized how exactly had sounded what he said, though he had meant Seto's urge to offend him, and in no time he was hidden behind Tristan. "Now of course that I think better about it…"

"Are you a masochist, and you consider the word 'mutt' flirting?" Seto smirked. He had to have the last word.

"What?? Hell no!! I didn't say… Hell Kaiba!" Joey jumped forwards again, totally infuriated, his fist raised. Rich boy could tell whatever he wanted, but not in front of his sister, and most importantly, Mai! Who couldn't stop giggling!

Yugi sighed. "Come on, you guys. This was undoubtedly a really unusual masquerade party. Why don't we just go and take desert, and then go to sleep? We need some rest." And he yawned.

They all agreed and followed Mokuba, who was showing them the way. But not Seto. He remained watching the dark sky of the night, outside the wide window of the room they were in.

"Kaiba? Are you coming?" Duke asked him.

"No. You go." Seto responded, and threw a decorative ball, which landed exactly at Joey's head. "Your toy, mutt."

"Asshole!" Joey barked back, while all of the others were shaking their heads – no matter what would happen, those two would never change. Well, that was also payback for before.

Seto remained silent there, letting his thoughts wonder along the stars, which were decorating the sky. He looked up – there was a full moon. How suitable…

Something was bugging him. Really, really bugging him. Gozaburo had stopped when he saw the one and only tear Seto hadn't been able to suppress. He had gotten off him, and he had asked him when was the last time he had cried. Seto didn't remember then, but now he did: He had cried mere minutes ago, when Joey had told him he pitied him. And he hadn't only let tears fall, he had sobbed, he had hiccupped, he had whimpered desperately, begging for some nonexistent mercy. Yes, he remembered well now. It was when Irma was winning the duel, almost right before Gozaburo slashed her. They had stopped their duel, and Gozaburo had said that it was a miracle Seto had lasted so long! Seto was also crying desperately above Irma's dying form…

Then, why had he gotten off him? Why had he said that he was waiting for Seto to break, he had already done it! Where was the catch? Could Gozaburo possibly know what was his real breaking point? That one tear might have meant a lot more than a fit of sobs and hiccups? When was the numbness of the upcoming loss, when was the relishing opening of his soul to friends, and when was the heart broken? There was a possibility; he could read their thoughts.

_But not our emotions._ Seto mused again. Could Gozaburo possibly know something? Anything, about Seto? Could something of what he was saying about… love, be true?

Seto shot a glance at his laptop. His face, it hardened, no; that bastard only pain had brought upon him! He couldn't _love!_ _Devil_ cannot _love!_ As much as it disgusted him, Seto thought that it was possibly… the first. Lust.

But still! _Why had he gotten off him in the first place?_ Why on Earth was this happening! Seto knew they were far from done with Gozaburo. It scared him, though he would never admit it. If only he knew, if he figured out what was happening with Gozaburo, he could easily destroy him! Seto narrowed his eyes: He wouldn't stop thinking till he figured it out that was for sure, he'd never forgive himself if put his body on the line again!

"Hey…" Irma's sudden sweet voice broke his train of thoughts. He turned and looked at her, her smile, her loving eyes, her silky hair, her smooth skin… Involuntarily, he smiled. What a beautiful girl she was… couldn't he have the opportunity to have a normal girlfriend, like her? With his life, that was out of the question. His smile faltered.

Then he noticed the plate in her hands. "Uh… I brought you some cake… chocolate!" She laughed a little. "Mokuba chose it. But I think you already guessed that!"

"Don't tell me, I'm socked." He replied. He allowed himself a little laugh, as well, and then took the plate. Then he turned to look outside the window again. To his great surprise, Irma came next to him, to look outside as well.

They remained silent for a while, watching the stars, and the only sound heard was Seto's spoon. Suddenly, Irma spoke: "You know what I think?"

"No, but I think I'll…" Seto stopped himself from telling 'regret that.' That would have been a lie.

Irma laughed, nonetheless. Then she turned and looked at him, her eyes glistening with quiet emotion. "Things will go better from now on, Seto."

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Damn it, mutt, catch the fucking ball!!"

"I'm running, I'm running, if only you'd shut the hell up… yeah, GOT IT!!"

"Oh, and I thought you weren't good at multi-tasking… you know, like running, defending and talking…"

"Shut the fuck up and score!"

And so Seto did. The ball passed over the seine with the speed of a lightning and landed on Tristan's poor head, to end up right after at the sand, which constituted their 'battle field'. Duke ran, but there was no way he could make it.

"SCORE!!" Seto and Joey yelled enthusiastically and hugged each other. And…

"What the fuck!!" In unison, as they were launching themselves as far away as they could. Duke and Tristan were pouting from their loss, but also snickering inside. Seeing Seto and Joey together, in addiction now, they were somewhat friends… well, it was just hilarious sometimes. Especially when Mai would appear and make a comment. (Making sure they hadn't heard her.)

But for now, she was so busy sunbathing in her purple bikini, that she simply preferred not to give a damn. And she could also distract the boys easily, but she was too tired for this. Well, the whole team decided to spend the day at the beach, since it was summer and all… how many months had passed since Gozaburo's little visit? Mai wouldn't bother herself to count. She was all too used to this.

She looked around. Yugi and Tea were playing happily by throwing water at each other in the sea. Irma had disappeared from sight; she was in her element. Mai found that a little peculiar, Irma had dived since they had arrived at the beach, without waiting a single second. And she had gone straight to deep. She still wouldn't come out. They had yelled at her, but they had crossed lines with her only when they got as far away as she had. Mai smiled; she remembered that Kaiba had gone and said something to her, and then she threw too much water in his face. When he returned, though without her and coughing a little, he seemed satisfied with himself, as always.

Now he was playing with the other three, Joey, Tristan and Duke, beach volleyball. They had chosen teams leaving it in fortune, which apparently wanted Joey and Seto together. Mai snickered; their expressions when they learned that were priceless.

But still, not quite surprisingly, they made a rather good team. Well, Kaiba's competitiveness had taken over him as well, so if Duke and Tristan wouldn't cherish their lives, (which they did) they could try to win, underlined the word try. Mai smirked mischievously. Kaiba in trunks, oh my! That was one of the main reasons, along with her sunbathing, that she had agreed coming along. She could swear, if the guy ever decided to quit Kaiba Corp, he could make a career with equal money as a sex… er, photo model. Gods, what a body he had! That was almost illegal. She giggled; she was sure that Irma and Tea hadn't dared to peek a look, much unlike her, who had given him a rather scanning look over, making him fight back a blush.

Mai smiled again. Well, she had to confess: She wanted to see Joey in trunks as well. And he had seen her in the bikini – tomato would be a good word to describe his face. After their date in 'Romantic Idol', no much had happened, except for the occasional flirting. Yes, Kaiba could be a sex symbol; but he lacked something Joey had: Sweetness and goodie-ness. Joey had that adorable goofy smile, something Kaiba would never give to anyone. Joey would play the dumb, look as a maniac for food… Joey was just a happy kid at heart, and he would always be. And Kaiba would always be the arrogant one. In Mai's heart, Joey would always win everybody in this matter.

But well, Kaiba had made progress. Now he would hang out with them, even if Mokuba weren't around, like now. The kid, who wasn't just a kid anymore, he was almost sixteen, had started to play it more independent. That didn't worried Kaiba, instead it made him happy. Mokuba was taking his own route, having his own friends and ways. Mai was sure that Seto was proud of him. Apparently, he was doing well.

She sighed. It was really very lonely now that Serenity had gone in France again. She didn't have anyone to consult.

Suddenly, Duke came and threw himself beside her. She smirked. "Kaiba sucked the hell out of your spirits?" She asked, when Tristan joined him.

"They are worse than Bakura and Marik together! We just asked if we could go home without the ball's 'print' in our face!" Tristan whined.

"You succeeded?" Mai asked. Tristan growled and showed her his reddened cheek. "What? Another chick slapped you again? You definitely need to get better in flirting!" She laughed.

"Yeah, 'Beach Volleyball' was written in her forehead!" Tristan tried to joke. Duke laughed.

"I never imagined they could cooperate so well." Duke said, while he was watching Seto and Joey play rackets. "It nearly scares me."

"Nah." Said Tristan. "I always believed Kaiba would come in our side eventually. He was always there, after all. And he hasn't changed, _that_ would scare me. He's just here. And that's not bad." Tristan shook his head, admitting.

"So, I was right all along, admit it." They heard Yugi saying, while he was walking towards them. "I told you he was good."

"And I was saying that friendship…" Tea never got a chance to complete her sentence. They all groaned loudly.

"Come on, you guys!" She insisted. "My speeches are not that bad!" But she was laughing.

"Tea girl, you speeches are so lame as when Kaiba talks about power." Mai commented.

"I heard that, Valentine!" Kaiba approached them smirking, with Joey following at his heels. "Did you ever really heard yours about how sad, lonely and miserable your life is? Please, it's time to get over it! Really, how old did you tell you are?" Oh oh, Kaiba was in the mood of nasty teasing…

But so was Mai, who counterattacked before Joey could protest. "Tch, tch. Never ask a lady how old she is, Kaiba, that's the rule number one of being a real gentleman."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "Your point?"

"It will take you a reeeeally long time to find a girlfriend."

"Really. Now you really touched the depths of my sensitive soul."

"Don't bother to answer, Mai." They all heard a voice they had to hear since they came to the beach. Irma walked gracefully towards them in her blue bikini. She had just come out the sea. "That's just what he wants, so he can continue playing. Sorry, Kaiba, we've learned how your devious mind works by now."

"Where were you?" Seto chuckled. "Were you talking at your relatives, the fish, the whole time? About what, predators?"

"Yes. And they told me two things: A) How dangerous sharks that walk can be, and B) not biting their baits. You know my family takes care of me." Irma grabbed her towel and started scrubbing her body. Gosh was she frozen!

"Sharks don't walk, Lair." He reminded her amusingly.

"Oh believe me, I know some they do."

"Can you introduce us?"

"Just look at the mirror."

"You just hit."

"What?"

"Well, since you were at the same rate as fish, I'm way ahead of you in the food chain."

"And that means…"

"Asta la vista." He grinned evilly. Irma pouted, with an expression saying: I-knew-it-I-just-knew-it-damn-it!

"Guys! What do you say: Tomorrow night, we go clubbing in 'The Scenery.'" Duke interrupted Kaiba's another victory. They looked at him strangely and snickering, but nonetheless:

"Yeah, why not?" Joey agreed. Tristan nodded, so did Mai and Irma.

Tea sighed pleasantly. "I can't wait to dance again…" She said dreamingly. Yugi, on the other hand, looked uneasy.

"Uh… I haven't gone clubbing before…" He explained.

"Like we don't know." Tristan underlined.

"Come on, hon. I'll give you the first dance." Mai winked. Yugi blushed, and nodded.

Then, they all looked at Kaiba.

"What?" Was the only thing Seto could say. If they wanted go clubbing, that didn't mean they wanted him with them. Well, it was true they had hung out without Mokuba sometimes, but Seto was sure they were doing it for Mokuba… not that he would accept pity or charities like that, of course! It disgusted him! But they didn't seem to be annoyed by his presence or his style. Perhaps they wouldn't show it, but… so good actors? Seto didn't have the time to wonder how and why he was there with them now. He had a good time, but did they, really? It seemed so, but how could anyone put up with…

"Dude, you're coming, right?" Was Joey's voice a little concerned, or did Seto just want it to be?

Just play neutral, "I had some work to do in the office…"

They all groaned, Irma louder. "Get a life!" She almost yelled at him.

Joey passed his arm around Seto's shoulders. "Well, listen how this is going to work: You screw your employees, you let them do their job alone for once, just to grow up. Then you come with us to 'The Scenery', and we drink, flirt and dance with chicks! Isn't that the perfect future?" Joey raised his other arm and gazed at the sky dreamingly, not noticing Mai fuming.

Seto shot him a You-really-really-worry-me look. "What more can I tell, you made me shiver." He said flatly. All the others burst in laughing, and Joey looked at him pouting.

"Come on now!" He insisted. "You need to get out! It's summer, people have fun! They eat, they drink, they play, they dance, they're having sex… Really, how much time has really passed since you had the last part?" Joey chuckled, his last comment eliciting an 'Oooooh!' from their audience.

But Seto smirked. "I'm not discussing my sex life with someone who's not a part of it. So unless you want to be one…"

"What the hell!" Joey took his arm off Seto's shoulders like Seto's skin had burned him. In the meanwhile, their friends were rolling on the sand, not being able to stop laughing. Seto's own urge to laugh was almost unbearable.

"Yeah, continue laughing all of you!" Joey pretended the hurt one, but inside he was laughing as well.

"Well, if you want me, I'll come." Seto couldn't suppress the words that escaped his mouth. Why, why, why did he have to say the 'if you want me' part?

They just stared at him for a while. Then Joey turned to the others: "You see! It cost my dignity to persuade him come! The next time, some of you pay!"

"I'm sorry Joey, your what?" Tristan held his ear. "I think I didn't hear well."

As Joey was wrestling with Tristan, right the next moment, Yugi approached Seto, and told him, without the others hearing. "So that was the problem, Seto? You're afraid we don't want you?"

"I don't need you." Seto shot him a glare that despite the summer warmth could send someone chills, so cold it was.

"Well you still have us." Yugi reassured him, and then went to split his friends up. No one noticed Seto's small smile that crept on his lips right after.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Everybody dance now…"

"Joe, that's not the song!" Tristan interrupted him.

"Anyways!" Joey grabbed Mai's waist and leaded her to the dance floor. 'The Scenery' was an open-air bar, thing that meant they were dancing with the stars above their heads. The lights were low, and the place was indeed very crowded. The music was sounding loud from the loudspeakers (obviously) and the bartender couldn't have a rest between preparing two drinks. The gang had sat in a corner near the sea and away the microphones and the bar, combining three tables to have everyone a sit. As expected, Joey and Mai didn't lose a chance. Duke and Tristan were also dancing, with two unknown girls, a blond named Clover and a raven-haired one, named Alex. So now there were only four sitting.

"Kaiba, let's go dance!" Irma almost ordered him, while she was standing up.

He looked her up from his mohito. "And what makes you think I'll come?"

"You can't even dance?! And here I thought the only thing you couldn't do was beating Yugi!"

After this, Yugi was burying his head into his hands, and Seto was shooting up from his chair, dragging Irma along towards the dance floor. Furious, of course.

Tea smiled. "You think she can soften him?" She asked Yugi.

"No. But they're at least having fun with each other." He chuckled. And indeed:

"You still insist I can't dance?" Seto asked Irma ironically, and she had to swallow any nasty comment, because it would simply hadn't been true. He danced amazing, just the ideal partner. And she loved to place her hands on his broad shoulders, occasionally his firm chest, tugging the buttons of his black shirt. Oh, was she having fun… Just like he did, with his arms at her slim but strong waist.

She leaned forwards, whispering: "No. I don't. Instead, I think you dance amazing." She voiced her previous thought with a purr.

Seto almost fell back from surprise; that was certainly not what he had expected. "Really." He just said.

"Yes. Damn it." They both laughed. Seto felt the urge that he should say something similar, but… that would have been too out of character for him. Hell, he hated it when Joey was right: He had indeed minimum experience with women.

Suddenly, the music rhythm got louder and faster. Things heated up, their bodies just obeyed to the music. Seto closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed it. Enjoyed the moment he was alive, for once, the electric sensation, the freedom and the rebelling, the smile… music had indeed magic sometimes.

"Gorgeous…" He heard a lot whispering. But he didn't really listened to them. He was seeing only his sea-green eyed beauty; her eyes were drowning him. His own sapphires were glistening, and he dared an unusual move. He heard a lot of gasps, this time, and Irma made her body moving, synchronized with his. This was heaven…

They continued like this for a while, but then they slowed their rhythm to regain stamina. They saw Mai and Joey, Joey lifted his thumb and winked towards them. Tea was dancing with Duke, and the glance she shot at Seto was both admiring and veracious. Seto would have to dance with the professional dancer of the group soon, he mused amusingly. They also spotted Yugi dancing with a redhead girl with green eyes.

After half an hour, they were all tumbled in their sits, sweated.

"Oh my!" Joey said. "I haven't dance that much in my whole life!"

"Me definitely neither." Yugi added. "Well guys, I'm sorry, I'm going to meet Sam!"

"Sam? The redhead?" Duke chuckled approvingly.

"Yes, full name, Samantha Di Callisto. Well, if you'd excuse me…" Yugi had disappeared in a few seconds. Tea didn't know if she should fume or not.

"Joey, I'm thirsty!" Mai whined. "And too tired to go to the bar…"

"You know I'll go, Mai." He told her, and he stood up.

Irma, who had sat herself onto Seto's lap, whispered in his ear: "What do you think of doing me the same favor? Margarita, please."

"Do I get a prize?" He asked evilly.

"No."

"Too bad then."

"Please? I'm so thirsty!"

"Nuh-uh-uh." He shook his head smirking.

Irma frowned. _I'll show you! _"Come on! I'll shut up, I'll carry your briefcase for a month… if needed, I'll sleep with you!" At this comment, Seto choked with his mohito.

"What a sacrifice!" Mai and Tea commented in unison, ignoring the 'Mai!' from Joey.

"Fine, I'll go! And the last part: not needed!" Seto gave up and stood as well. He and Joey made way towards the bar, with Joey snickering the whole way.

"Shut up, mutt!"

"A) It's time to cut the nickname, _Money-bags_, B) What prize did you expect exactly? Like you don't know her! And C) Is the only way for someone to win you in an argument mentioning sex?"

"I thought I told you to shut up! Oh, by the way: Your girlfriend didn't seem very annoyed to the idea."

Joey blushed gloriously. "Mai isn't my girlfriend!"

"What is she, then?" Seto asked seriously. Joey averted his eyes from his friend's.

"I… I really don't know. I mean, I like her, but… She's my friend, and… I guess I don't want to risk that." Joey rubbed the back of his head.

"Gee, you're even stupider that I thought!" Seto mocked. And before Joey could protest: "How can you be so blind? Even I, that I didn't know much, understood that she joined Orichalkos because you didn't pay attention to her charms!"

Joey was seriously dumbfounded. "What? I thought that was it because she was alone!" Seto shot him a glance saying 'Duh!' "I thought she wanted us to leave her alone!"

"Whenever one person says or shows that, then you should know they mean and want exactly the opposite." Ooooops…

"Seto, did you understand what you said right now?" Joey looked at him wide-eyed. Seto swore through gritted teeth, but, fortunately for him, the bartender interrupted them.

"What should I prepare for you, guys?" He asked them hectically, a shaker in his right hand.

"Two martinis, one margarita and a mohito." Seto ordered quickly. Then he turned to Joey: "My case is completely…"

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" They both heard a hoarse voice behind them. They turned, to come face to face with a well-preserved middle-aged man, and two almost giant bodyguards of his. Joey took a defensive pose, while Seto shot them one of his infamous glares, but said nothing.

"Pardon me, gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself: I'm George Bagster, and I own this club." The middle-aged man said, his black eyes going from Seto to Joey and reverse. "I have to say, I'm very honored that two so pretty young men visited my humble club. We'd like to see you there more often."

"Too bad we can't say the same." Seto took his usual arrogant pose, which send his opponents scampering away. But Bagster seemed to be ready for this:

"You see, my beauty, that doesn't matter." Seto's eyes widened at the call. "The only thing that matters here is my word." Bagster smirked.

"Is he fucking insane? And how can it be, no one hears us?" Joey whispered into Seto's ear. Seto was infuriated.

One of the bodyguards proceeded towards them, and grabbed Joey from the collar. "I bet you and the brunette are fucking each other well. We'd like to watch you." Bagster said. Joey was too shocked to these words to say anything.

Seto didn't lose time. He walked towards Bagster and towered above him, his fierce sapphire glare making the other swallow hard, and lose his despotic aura. "Listen to me well, you sick mother-fucker! If you ever, ever again dare to touch a single hair of my friend, or talk to me like that again, I'll make sure you'll be praying to die soon enough. Did you hear me? For your sake, I hope you did." Seto's cold tone made Bagster fight back a trembling. What was with this boy? He had power… hum, well, he had enough guts to take both of them out of there. That, Bagster knew. And he was familiar…

Behind them, sounded a small cry. Joey had grabbed the bodyguard's hand and he was crushing it in his fistful, no matter how bigger it may seem. He had also a wild look in his eyes. "Get the fuck away from me, or I'll crush it completely. And you're lucky, I usually don't warn." He knew that the bodyguard could crash him instead, but he also knew that the last thing Bagster would want was a scene in his club. Seto smirked, smart puppy.

"Fine, leave them alone." Bagster gave up, and his bodyguard left Joey. Then he turned to Seto: "You're losing a lot. Have you any idea what I can do to you?"

To his great surprise, Seto laughed. And oh, so evilly. "You? Can do to _us?_ You don't have a single idea who I am, really. Well, the next time inform yourself before you try to 'shop bodies' from your pathetic hole. Come on, Joey." They took their drinks and disappeared in the crowd, leaving Bagster startled.

Joey sighed from relief. "That was close. I… can't believe they thought… that!"

"They didn't. They just wanted to see it. I'll burn the place tomorrow. Too bad, it had a nice view." Seto clarified, and Joey laughed, now with lighter the heart. They approached their table.

"Where have you been?" Tea asked worryingly, while Mai and Irma were tapping their feet disapprovingly. When Irma saw their faces, she stopped. They may seem careless, but something had happened, she knew. She knew Seto's face.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, while Mai shot a look at Joey and her eyes darkened, but she said nothing.

"Yup. Just a little inconvenience." Seto said as carelessly as he looked. "Here's your margarita, my mistress."

Irma's eyebrows disappeared under the locks of her forehead at the double meaning. "You…you…"

"Seto, let's go dance!" Tea interrupted the upcoming fight. There was just a tango on.

**A/N: **I'm cutting it here, lame I know. I just didn't come up with good ideas, and I write Geometry tomorrow, God Help Me! But come on people, review me! Even with negative comments! (Yes, I'm that desperate!) Sayonara!


	13. Vivere Pericolosamente

A/N: My exams will soon come to an end, my exams will soon come to an end… I just need to remind myself of this

**A/N: **My exams will soon come to an end, my exams will soon come to an end… I just _need_ to remind myself of this! (Note: Things probably went down… I'll keep on thinking positive. If I can't get this out here, _where can I?_)

On with the story!

Chapter 13: Vivere Pericolosamente

Seto looked at the paperwork waiting for him at his mahogany desk in his room, for a hundredth time with heavy heart. Why on holly Earth was he paying all those people in his ridiculously large corporation, since he did all the work by himself? Every time, every day, he would have to scan their damn reports for mistakes – alas to them if they had one, thing that happened almost daily. Seto wasn't a bad boss though, as most people would expect him to be. He just didn't allow any mistakes – several mistakes. He was always giving second chances, if something was reversible, but never a third. And if the damage was serious… Seto was trying to eliminate the possibilities, by offering plenty of opportunities and prizes to his employees, because it would take too much time and money to fix it afterwards (It had never happened – Seto hadn't allow it to). No one in his company could complain, they all agreed he was severe and wanted everything always perfect, but he was also fair as hell. His employees were loyal to him, the most obvious example being Roland. Even when the Kaiba Corp. fell into Dartz's hands, Roland still followed and helped Seto. In addiction, every person Seto hired, he would see it himself first so he could judge it properly.

Five years the corporation was working like this, and it was growing richer and wealthier. Seto was afraid that his friendship with Yugi (always hypothetically speaking) and the others would affect his work negatively, but such thing didn't happen at all. Instead, it seemed like he had more inspiration than ever. He was creating project after project, but that also required a lot of work and effort. He could always make others to do the technical parts, but instead, he preferred to do the work alone. Ph, but that was necessary. These morons didn't have half the brains required. Problem was, none had.

Doing all the work always annoyed him a bit, but today, it annoyed him more than any other time. He had promised to go with the others and visit the aquarium where Irma worked. Apparently, he wouldn't make it.

What was he thinking! He was Seto Kaiba! He had given a promise! He could make whatever he wanted to!

Seto dialed as fast as he could the number of one of his most intelligent employees – therefore, one's of the highest in rank.

"Hello?" He heard after ten seconds.

"Lavel, you have exactly one day to check all the reports which had been sent to my office. I warn you, I'll check them afterwards. Mistake, you're fired. All correct, you're getting a 10 raise. Clear?"

"Wha- Y-Yes Mr. Kaiba! I'll do no mistakes Sir! You have my word!" Lavel was sweating – was that luck or curse? Everything was depending on him – gosh what a pressure! He couldn't screw up!

"Good." He heard the deep voice of his, approximately 15 years younger, boss. "Have a nice Sunday." With that, Seto closed the phone and resisted the urge to laugh maniacally – he had to cut this bad habit.

_And now, let's see how you're doing with the dolphins, miss Lair._

Seto couldn't resist. He laughed. Evilly.

Who would tell, anyways? (Not he was afraid of Joey making fun of him, of course…) Mokuba was on vacation with that girl, Rebecca Hawkins. Seto had always liked that girl: She was a genius in computers, and she had quite the guts. Mokuba had told him they were just friends; yeah, and Seto would lose a duel to Joey. Thing that meant: Impossible.

He trusted Mokuba. He was sixteen. He could take care of himself.

And that last technology's satellite system Seto had bought secretly from the government to observe him every day – skip that, hour - meant absolutely nothing at all!

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Hey, Rich Boy! Over here!" Joey waved at Seto behind the aquarium's entrance. This aquarium was one of the biggest in the whole planet, his name being 'Crystal World'. At it was indeed like it was made by crystal; there were no walls. Nowhere. Everything were separated by thick glass, built so that when the light was falling on it, it sparkled, creating a magic atmosphere, like it was from another, spiritual world. Seto could see why Irma chose this place for her work; it had a special charm.

"Since when did the puppies started to order their masters?" Seto commented and had the fun of his life as Joey fumed.

"You ain't my master, Money-bags!!"

"Didn't hear any complain about the puppy comment." As Joey was opening his mouth to answer and the others got ready to groan, Irma showed up from an iron door in their left.

"Guys! I'm so glad you showed up!" She ran towards them. She was wearing an indigo bathing suit and beige, long athletic pants. "I'm sorry if I was late; I was feeding the seals. Come on this way. I'll give you a tour."

"This place is magical!" Tea exclaimed, as all of them were walking along its inside.

"Yeah, Irma, you're so lucky to work every day here." Yugi added his two cents.

"Well, I guess so." She smiled at them. "You see, this place is different from any other aquarium in the world; the others don't dare what we have."

"Which is…" Duke urged her to continue.

And so she did. "Duh, making everything from glass, what else! It's like a fishbowl here, really, with different compartments. Imagine, we have the sharks beside the seals. And zero accidents." Following her, they went on the first floor by the staircase.

"And everything that's not made of glass, is made of iron?" Seto asked/stated, observing where they were standing. There was no floor. Just a thin slice of iron, which was making noise when they were walking on it.

"Oh yes." She answered immediately. "Everything by glass and iron. We use the glass to protect and impress. And the iron fits well, gives a silver illusion to all this… the only area we've got closed – but we can still see its containment – and no one gets near is…"

"IRMA!" They heard a voice like thunder coming from downstairs. "Haven't you feed the dolphins yet??"

"Oh no…" Irma pouted. "That's my boss, Mr. Cumbs. He may be loud, but he's not bad, and I indeed forgot to feed the dolphins… And one of them is pregnant, needs special care…" She gave them a pleading look. "Guys, can you just take a walk in here, until I return? It won't take me long…"

"Sure! Don't worry about it." Yugi and Tristan hurried to assure her.

"Do your job, hon." Mai winked at her. "Tea and I will go look at the beautiful exotic fish you've got." Tea nodded, and they both left quickly, very impatient to see those non-comparable beauties.

"And we'll go to see the eels!" Duke yelled from enthusiasm.

"And the penguins!" Tristan chuckled. "They have so much fun…" Irma shook her head. Kids…

Tristan and Duke grabbed Yugi, and then they took off. "Okay guys, I admit it, I want to see the eels as well, no need to drag me, I can walk you know! _Damn it, I am a former Pharaoh, I demand you put me down now!_" They vaguely heard him saying. Irma, Seto and Joey snickered; they knew how those two enjoyed teasing Yugi.

Irma looked at Seto and Joey, who both just shrugged. "We'll just take a stroll in here. See if there's anything good, you know… whatever comes up." Joey said carelessly.

"IRMA!" Mr. Cumbs was definitely trying his lungs.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, geese!" She yelled, and then she rushed downstairs. Seto and Joey looked at each other, then shrugged again, and then started walking, seeing around.

Joey fizzled slightly. "Cool place."

"I've seen better. And I can certainly build better." Seto commented, making Joey laugh out loud.

"And here I believed your ego was somewhat deflated." Joey bend to avoid a smack in the head. "Doesn't Mokuba watch you over or something? He should be."

"Mokuba is too busy with his girlfriend, right now." Seto smirked.

"Oh, come on, now! Rebecca is a great kid! And he just went on vacation, relax! You're four years older than him, and you've done neither!" Now it was Joey's turn to smirk.

"And how, pray tell, would you know if I ever had a girlfriend or been on vacation?" The corners of Seto's mouth were twitching upwards.

"If you had, it would be world-wide international news." Joey winked. "And you know that's true."

"Well, maybe I didn't need these things, so…" Seto cut his sentence halfway. A bad, really bad forefeeling took over him, and he heard his heart beating and his veins got filled with adrenaline. He also heard steps. Footsteps, pounding harshly against the iron slice they were standing upon, making each step like the beat of a drum, announcing condemn.

Seto didn't know what got into him. He barely heard Joey saying:

"Oh, believe me, you do, you do…"

"Shut up!" It was a loud whisper. Before Joey could utter a word, Seto continued: "Listen!"

He saw Joey's face concentrating to listen, then realizing, then his chocolate eyes widened. He looked… kinda scared.

_So it wasn't just me._ Seto thought. They stared at each other's eyes, and without uttering any words, they understood. Then they ran. They ran as fast as they could, their feet pounding at the same time, betraying them. They ran, until they reached another door, which's label had come upside down and they couldn't read it. But they didn't care.

They didn't have the time to open it.

"Well, well, let's see… The two hotties from the club." They heard a hoarse voice, the same hoarse voice behind them, exactly as that night.

_Shit._ Seto swore silently. He had too much work these days. He had left Bagster untouched. How, _how_ could he forget something like this? This time wasn't as the previous, Seto knew it, he felt it; they were in big trouble. He and Joey turned, and this time they saw Bagster with four of his gigantic bodyguards. And Bagster himself wasn't exactly tiny.

"Chocolate and caramel… how could I forget you?" Bagster mocked.

Seto snapped. "What do you fuckers want?" He demanded, narrowing his eyes and getting himself ready for an attack. Joey did the same, and he continued:

"What are you doing here? Interested in sea?" Joey asked equally mockingly with Bagster.

"Oh yes…" Bagster licked his lips. "In some sirens, per say… sea-green eyed once, to be precise… You see, I followed the brown haired sea-green eyed girl to her home, learnt everything about her, and I decided to be generous and instead of catching and enjoying her, I let her lead me unconsciously to you. I paid her boss. Your friends are outside, and the doors are locked." Bagster seemed so satisfied with himself…

Seto felt the air drowning, smothering him. Suddenly, it was hard to breath. But he had just danced with her! And that was enough for a psycho to hunt her down? She was alive and well by accident, and it was his entire fault! He had neglected their safety, how could he be so careless?

"I was sure of it." Joey continued, taking over. He approached Bagster, moving unconsciously away from Seto. "You have the grace of a penguin, where else could you be? Although North Pole would be a good idea…"

Somehow, that comment wasn't of Bagster's liking. He growled. "Now you tasted more like lemon." In no time, Joey's arms were tightly grabbed by two of the bodyguards, making him unable to move. "…Blondie."

"Hey!" Joey protested, but to no avail. Seto did nothing but surveying them like a hawk.

Bagster didn't lose time. He turned to Seto. "Now, cutie… How much are you willing to do?"

Seto narrowed further his eyes. He thought of a strategy: If they thought that Joey was nothing for him… "To get him free? Absolutely nothing." It was his cold statement. "But I'll definitely beat the shit out of you for interrupting my stroll in here."

Joey rolled his eyes, while Bagster was smirking. "Now that wasn't the right answer, was it? I was expecting something like anything…" He took a step forwards, making Seto take one backwards, and hit the iron door behind him. He shook with disgust from his retreat, but he didn't want by any means to get close with this man. Bagster continued: "You can't fight us, either way. Not even you can fight five people with double your size. So it's your choice: You can simply lay down and enjoy…" Bagster's tone made this time Seto wanting to puke, "…otherwise, we'll have to force you down. So?"

Seto gritted his teeth, reminding fairly of a tiger. "I'd like to see you try!"

The smirk never left Bagster's lips. "You will… you will." Seto growled. "Lay the blond down. He goes first."

Every sense of logic Seto may have still had, left him with the light's speed when he saw Bagster's lackeys laying Joey down, and him thrashing and squirming desperately. "NO!!" He screamed and tried to reach him, but the other two bodyguards grabbed him before he could even get close. "NO! NO!"

Bagster approached him and grabbed his chin. Seto tried to snatch it violently away, but the grip was too strong and painful. "What are you protesting for? Better him, than you, isn't it so?"

"You sick bastard, leave him alone!!" Seto tried to bite Bagster's hand and then kick him. But, due to the monsters holding him, he could do neither. Joey was starting to get really scared; along with the grunts and the hisses, he couldn't but let a whimper slip away, which Seto heard very well.

"It was your choice." The bastard's voice rang into Seto's ears and mind, making him squeeze his eyes shut. No, not again, not this again… _Think Seto, think_… that's it!

"Five millions if you leave him alone!! To each of you!!" He yelled at the bodyguards. They immediately stopped, but Bagster started laughing.

"Oh, and where will you find it, may I ask? Who are you, Seto Kaiba?"

"Exactly, you imbecile moron!" Seto fumed, and took his identity out of his shirt-pocket, shoving it in Bagster's face, who paled visibly. "You were watching me in your club, you were trying to get me in bed, me _and_ my friend, but instead of searching who we are, you chose to search about the girl that was with me. Does knowing the names of your victims spoil your sick imagination of something? It _certainly_ will this time!"

The lackeys that were holding Seto left him as he was burning them. Seto shot a dirty look to those who were holding Joey. "Is there something wrong with your ears?" He sneered, and they obeyed, getting away from Joey.

Joey stood up trembling a little. "The-They didn't know who we are?" He asked, approaching Seto, who supported him from the shoulders. Seto didn't say anything, but shot Bagster a glare that was saying I-dare-you-to-touch-us-again, as he was walking past him and his lackeys.

"Too bad." He heard Bagster whisper something that was meant for Seto to hear. "You would have been a nice fuck." And with that, he grabbed Seto's ass.

"Uh… well, Bagster, look," Joey started, as Seto was slowly turning towards him with the Kaiba glare in all of its glory, and something even more. "There are many mistakes that someone can do in his life… but I strongly believe that this was the worst you could ever do."

The rest happened in a blink of the eyes. When did Seto grab Bagster from the collar, when did he open the iron door behind him and when did he throw Bagster inside the pool it was behind it, Joey never realized.

But he raised an eyebrow. "That thing of a man just grabbed your ass and you just threw him into a pool instead of beating the crap out of him? You really have softened, Kaiba."

Seto said nothing, but slammed the door closed. And the label that was upside down fell, revealing what it was written on it, and what Seto had already guessed:

WHITE SHARKS

ATTENTION! DANGER! DON'T COME CLOSE FOR ANY REASON!

ONLY STUFF MEMBERS ALLOWED!

And… that was it.

Joey's jaw had dropped to the floor, in one silent scream, at the lines of: 'Eeeeeekkk!' Seto raised a cocky eyebrow to the left bodyguards. "Does anybody care to join him?"

The next moment, they were gone. Seto could swear they were three miles far away already. Joey was still at the same pose.

"Come on, puppy. The others will be looking for us." Seto walked coolly towards where they had come from. Joey remained petrified.

"You threw him… you threw him… ARE YOU _MENTAL?"_ He managed to scream.

"Oh, don't worry pup. White sharks don't usually eat people. And the ones here see people everyday, they are used to them. In the worst case, they maybe just take a bite." Seto smirked. "The sure thing is that they will give him the scare of his life."

Joey ran next to Seto. "But… but… If each take a bite, there will be nothing left of him!" Joey screeched.

"Remind me why I care?" Seto started to get annoyed.

"Kaiba, there's a possibility you just killed someone, you realize that?!" Joey refused to shut up, as they were walking towards the dolphins' pool, outside, where the others were. "Why are you so out of it?"

"For the last time, mutt, white sharks don't…"

"Hey!" Yugi waved towards them, when he saw them coming. "Where have you been? The doors were locked for a while, did something happened?"

"Nothing serious." Seto replied, and Joey swallowed hard, making Mai give him a suspicious look.

Irma didn't seem to notice. "Well, guys, I'm done from here. Now we'll go to see the area I told you it was closed. Guess what it's got: White Sharks!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

Seto and Joey shook their heads, looked at each other and said with one voice: "Yes! We know!"

Irma shot them a bewildered look, and then, like something was really bugging her, she ran inside.

Seto and Joey took off, under the widened eyes of all the others.

"It's all your fault, Money-Bags!!" They vaguely heard Joey yelling, so far they had gotten.

"Can we please, talk about it later??" They also heard Seto's voice, which was soon covered by Irma's scream which sounded ten blocks away:

"SETO FREAKING KAIBAAAA!!"

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"What?" The next day, Seto pretended the ignorant. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Irma grabbed him from the collar and shook him violently, her eyes spitting fire. "You damn know very fucking well for what I'm talking about! You threw someone into the white sharks pool!"

"Do you have any proof about that?" Seto raised his eyebrows. They were all gathered in Tea's house, with Mai tapping her foot, Joey whining, Tea cooking for easing the spirits, Yugi worried as always, Tristan and Duke snickering, and Irma… well, furious was an understatement, as she fumed above Seto's sitting form.

"Don't fuck around with me, Seto _devil_ Kaiba! I won't…"

"I wouldn't dream of it, I can assure you." Seto smirked. If Irma weren't already red from anger, she would have definitely got the tomato's color.

"Stop it! I demand an explanation!" She shook him again. "And you two, stop laughing it's not funny!" She snapped at Tristan and Duke. Then she turned to Seto again. "Why, you bastard, you did this? Did you want me to lose my job?"

Seto shot up, towering above her, glaring, but not intimidating her at the least. He was still angry though. "That would be for the best, Lair, with that son of a bitch you have for a boss! Did you know that he was paid by the bastard I shoved into the pool to lock us in there?"

Irma's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but no sound would come out.

"Why did he pay him? Why so?" Duke interfered. Seto looked at him, but didn't answer. Joey did.

"We… we met him at the club, the day before yesterday. Let's say we declined an offer, and… he was pissed." Seto nodded at Joey's words, then turned to Irma:

"He followed you, to get us. He learnt everything about you, he could have harmed you…" Seto's eyes softened. "I was careless, it was my fault. I had to fix it."

Irma didn't know what she should say. Than man was… unbelievable, every time she thought she had him…! "But still! That doesn't mean you can go and throw people into pools with white sharks! It's fucking twisted!"

"White sharks don't eat people, correct?" Seto reminded her.

"No, they don't, but now he was so traumatized that they locked him into a psychiatric clinic! He can't even speak; all he can do is tremble! In simpler words: He got nuts!" Irma threw her arms in frustration.

"All right, then. Another bastard out of the way." Seto clapped his hands. "And I have to go to work." He turned around, opened the door and got out without looking back.

"Seto, wait!" Joey ran after him. Tea and Irma exchanged worried looks, so did Yugi and Mai. Irma sat heavily onto the couch. That bastard couldn't be right even this time!

Outside, Joey managed to reach Seto. Who snapped. "What do you want, you worthless mutt? Go find Mai to yank your chain!"

"Shut the fuck up, you stuck up asshole!" Joey snapped as well. "You're not going away this time!"

"I'll go wherever I want to, and no one, especially someone like _you_, can stop me. Out of my way!" Seto shoved Joey away, but the other refused to stay behind. He grabbed Seto's shoulder.

"You won't go anywhere! We need to talk! You're planning to leave us again, aren't you?" Joey's voice was low and bitter.

"What do you care! I'll do whatever I want to!" Seto tried to snatch his shoulder away, but with no result. "Damn it, mutt, leave me alone!"

"Just tell me why. Why are you running away again?" Joey left Seto's shoulder smoothly, as his voice was.

"I… I'm not running away, and you can't understand!" Seto turned to face him, glaring as always. "Just me being away is the best for all of you, why don't you get it?!"

"I don't know, maybe… because it's not true?" Joey asked sarcastically. "Get over it! Just think about this: You think that you're getting us in trouble, but did you ever thought how many times our lives were in danger when we were involved in Yugi's troubles? I don't think you can count. However, he didn't hide himself away, like you do. Where's you strength, almighty Seto Kaiba? Are you so afraid of being happy?"

Joey's words were like daggers at Seto's heart. The stunned and sad look he gave him after this made Joey wanted to take his words back, although he knew that it wouldn't have been the right thing.

"It's not… the same." Seto managed to whispered, lowering his eyes. "Yugi was always fighting for something. Saving the world, or all that bullshit all of you had been chanting about… he was trying to achieve something, something good for the rest of the other people… On the other hand, my case… it was centered around me." Seto buried his face in his hands. "Why? Why is this fucking happening? Do I have a label or something that says 'Fuck me and hurt the people I care about'? What's so wrong?" He felt Joey's arm around his shoulders. He didn't make a move to shove him off, but he didn't looked at him either. He didn't want to see pity in his eyes, in anyone's eyes.

When he spoke, Joey's voice was stern. "It may not seem so, but it was somewhat the same with Yugi. They were after him because he was a Pharaoh – don't deny that! The people that are after you are after you because of who you are – again, it's almost the same."

When Seto didn't speak, Joey continued: "As about that 'label' thing, well… no offense, but… you kinda do have it."

Seto's head shot up from his hands, looking Joey expressionlessly. And Joey didn't lose time: "You are… I mean… You know, you have that arrogant, mocking pose, which says 'I dare you, and you'll fail against me'… the way you're dressing, in tight, and trench coats, making you impressive, well… I guess all that make people wanting to take you down, defeat you. You're kinda provoking everyone to do so. So…"

"…It's my style? I can't change that, and if I could, I wouldn't want to." Seto stated, matter-of-factly.

Joey smiled sadly. "And you shouldn't. Your style expresses who you are. But… the bad guys are always there, Seto. No matter what we do… And you weren't the only one. If you remember, I was their target as well. We can't stop people like that from existing… Although a pool with white sharks is not a bad idea!" Joey gave that goofy grin, and Seto chuckled. Very soon, they started laughing uncontrollably until they were in the verge of tears.

Seto shot a glance at Joey. "I couldn't believe you can be so mature, Joey. It's really a surprise." He smiled.

"And why are you surprised, may I ask?" Joey pretended the angry one. Seto chuckled once again.

"I guess that's what we have to do… For once, you were right. Vivere Pericolosamente. Wanna take the others for an ice cream?" Seto closed his eyes happily, enjoying… he didn't know what.

"Uh… sure…" Joey was troubled. "What was that you said before? Vivre Perclos…"

Seto chuckled for the third time. "Vivere Pericolosamente, puppy. It's Latin. It means living dangerously."

"Oh… to the ice cream, to the ice cream!" Joey freaked out at the prospect of a possible school subject, while Seto was snickering and dialing Yugi's number in his cell-phone.

**A/N: **The biggest chapter ever! Until I finished it, my exams are OVER! YaY! Now I'll probably be able to update more often. REVIEW ME PEOPLE! I LOVE YA ALL!


	14. Take It Or Leave It

A/N: This chapter contains humor, some FRIENDS lines, which I don't own, and whatever comes up in my head

**A/N: **This chapter contains humor, some FRIENDS lines, which I don't own, and whatever comes up in my head! You have been warned!

Chapter 14: Take It Or Leave It

"Mmmm… I'm in heaven!"Irma moaned with satisfaction, tasting again her chocolate ice cream. She and Seto were fans of chocolate – something that Seto claimed to have taken by his little brother, Mokuba. Joey, on the other hand, preferred caramel, Tea strawberry and Yugi vanilla.

"Congratulations, Lair, and when do you plan to go back in hell?" Seto scoffed.

Like she would let that slip! "Don't worry, _sweetie_, I'll be in our home by noun…"

And he didn't intend to as well. "Great. I was starting to get rather _impatient…_" He counterattacked, smirking. Just an ice cream, a nice environment in a coffeehouse, friendly company and some cunning comments, and she had already forgotten the little (let's say) episode in the aquarium. Not that he would ever… But of course, the puppy _had_ to interrupt again!

"Please, get a room you two! I've told you so before!" Joey continued eating his ice cream, ignoring the murderous glares by Seto's side. He was so used to them.

As the growl: "Wheeler…"

"What? What did I say now, you're hurting my feelings!" Joey pretended the hurt one. "I'm so…"

Tea groaned. "Please, Joey, don't say innocent, no one is gonna bought it!" The others laughed.

"Really, Joey, you have to be more discreet - let people flirt!" Yugi snickered.

"Flirt? Who _flirts?_ Are we going mad or something here?" Irma shrieked. She wasn't _flirting_ with the bastard! She'd bet he was mentally unstable – he had shoved somebody into the white sharks pool! Like she would ever forget! But how would she like to get that proud and luscious body beneath her, shove his tight black shirt over his head, messing his chocolate brown locks in the process, his sapphire blue eyes half-lidded and glistening with passion and pleasure, waiting for her to make the first move, giving her the ultimate control…

_Yaaaaahh! What am I thinking? _I _am the mentally unstable one here!_ She realized, in a freaky moment, her eyes widening. Seto saw that, and smirked, deciding to taunt her once more:

"Yeah, Lair, louder: I think that there's someone at the end of the hall who didn't hear you!"

"No, I did!" Tristan made his appearance, grinning at the scene. Irma let herself blush. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Nah, nothing Tristan, just a tease. Where are Mai and Duke?" Yugi asked, trying to suppress his laughter.

"Mai suddenly decided to go shopping, and she wanted someone to drag along. We were close, so Duke and I turned a coin to see who would accompany her. As you can see, I won!" Tristan grinned even more, proud with his luck. It was common knowledge that Mai was a tornado at that stuff. But there was someone who wasn't happy with that turn of events.

"Duke? Alone with Mai? For shopping? Something smells bad here!" Joey started to get suspicious. Duke may was a good friend, he had helped Serenity and blah blah, but if there was some field that Joey wouldn't trust him in, that was with women!

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Did you ever consider that being your aftershave?"

"Stop the bad jokes! I don't trust Duke with any woman!" Joey finally voiced his thought.

"While you trust Valentine with every man." Seto added his two cents, making Joey fume even more badly.

"Shut up, Money-Bags! _You_ don't trust _anyone_ with _anything! Ever!_"

"So? What is your point?" Seto smirked and raised his eyebrows innocently.

"Aaaargh, forget it!" Then Joey turned to Tristan again. "I have to find out what they're doing!"

"If you suggest that we spy on them, forget it! I was lucky to get away! If she sees us, who knows how many bags we'll have to carry!" Tristan protested, raising his hands.

"Uh, Joey… I think you should give Mai more credit." Yugi suggested. "And Duke too. And, in a final analysis, what do you worry so much for? Are you so protective over her?" Yugi smirked, in a way he seemed more like Kaiba.

"Thank you, Brutus, for your advice." Joey put his hands in his hips. Now what to do? He had to find out what had happened! What to do, what to do… _oh, yes._ "Setooooo…?"

_Oh… I'll regret this._ Seto thought. "What, puppy?" He turned to face Joey.

"Remember that game we were talking about the other days?" Joey asked hopefully. Seto narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. It didn't take him long.

"The Truth or Dare? That I told you that only when I say, we'd play it?" He asked, a little bewildered. "This is your way to get Valentine to talk to you without raising any suspicions?"

"Yes. Pleeeeease?" Joey kneeled and gave him the sweetest and most pleading look he could muster.

It didn't take them long, and they all laughed. "Oh, Joey…" Tea sighed. Yugi shook his head, smiling. "You're really such a puppy!"

"And for another time, Seto Kaiba gets that right. But you're an adorable puppy, Joe!" Irma ruffled her friend's blond hair, giggling. Tristan tapped Joey's shoulder, smiling as well.

"Okay, Golden Retriever." Seto gave away one of his really rare smiles. "I'll do it."

And Joey's face lit up. Suddenly, it wasn't so bad to call him a puppy.

Truth be told, it had stopped being so a long time ago.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Mai, truth or dare?" The long awaited time had come. The next day they were all gathered at the Kaiba Mansion, once again. Forming a circle, they chose carefully their words, so they could bring the other in a dead-end. And now, the bottle that they were turning around finally showed Joey and Mai.

"Truth, hon." Mai winked. She wasn't stupid. She knew what Joey wanted to ask her. She liked it!

"Uh… because I haven't really much of ideas… what were you and Duke doing yesterday at the mall?" Joey asked innocently.

Duke groaned. He would never forget what he had to carry! The next time, A) He would drag Tristan along or B) He would hack into Mai's accounts, froze them, so she couldn't buy anything ever again!

"We went shopping, then we went to eat at Goodies, and then back home." She replied, totally composed. Joey couldn't suppress a sigh of relief, which Duke caught. Mai was honest, and Duke not dense.

At the next turn, the bottle showed Duke and Joey. Duke smiled devilishly. "Truth or dare, Joey?"

"Dare!" Joey yelled immediately, so Duke wouldn't have to question him about that and confirm any suspicions.

But Duke's plan was other. "Well Joe, since you thought that me and Mai were possibly making out, thus you didn't trust us, I'll have to find a real evil something for you to do, huh?" He grinned.

Joey sweat-dropped and nodded in defeat and embarrassment, in front of Mai. But come on, what could Duke possibly do?

"I dare you to make out with Seto Kaiba for five minutes. On watch."

"WHAT!!" Seto, Joey, Mai and Irma shot up from their sits. Yugi and Tristan tried to help their insane laughter, while Tea was blushing gloriously. Duke continued to grin in a very devil like manner.

"Do you care about your life at all, Devlin?" Seto had started to form his notorious glare once again.

But that didn't discouraged Duke. "Tch, tch. Where's your honor, Seto Kaiba? We play a game, there are rules. We have to follow them. Where's the problem?" Duke smirked, as Seto was fuming, but he knew he could say nothing. A game is a game, and so are its rules. He couldn't disobey them. He had learned that long ago.

Suddenly, a pang of fear shot through him. Why? He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, not willing at all to let that show.

Mai and Irma bolted out of the room.

"Heh, don't worry!" Joey whispered in Seto's ear. "Mai and Irma won't let that happen. They like us too much to do so."

"Don't you dare to do anything!" They listened to their voices. Right after that, Mai and Irma appeared into the room, each of them having a camera in hand.

"Now, continue." Mai said, while she and Irma was getting them recording.

"You were saying…" Seto told Joey, with a non-surprised expression at all, while Joey was gawking.

"Come on, I'll do it ten minutes!" Duke said amusingly. None of them could tell there was something wrong. Except for one, whose soft cerulean eyes wouldn't leave Seto's form.

Joey grumbled. "Okay… come on." He placed his hand onto Seto's left shoulder and led him towards the couch. Seto swallowed hard and did his best not to jerk his body away. What kind of a fucking game was this! He didn't want this! But he couldn't let that show; they would say he was coward, weird, and faint-hearted. That he couldn't handle a situation like this! He, Seto Kaiba!

So he didn't let anything show. He sat obediently at the couch, and let Joey lay him down, in the cushions. His facial expression was docile and indifferent, namely exactly the opposite of what he felt. And no one noticed. Damn, if he were an actor, he would have gotten the Oscar long ago! He saw Joey climbing on top of him, straddling him. He saw also Irma putting the camera down, with a rather worried look in her face. But what could she possibly know? He would never let that show.

Joey avoided looking at Seto's face, and especially, his eyes. Instead, he turned to Duke, raising a finger and pointing it straight to him. "You… Payback is a bitch, Devlin. Remember that!"

Duke just shrugged. Yugi started getting worried as well. Seto didn't seem disturbed though… was it just pretending, or was he used so much to Joey's presence, that he didn't care? It seemed it was the second, but…

Joey's heart had a long time to beat at his chest like this. He didn't want to do that to Seto. The motive may was innocent, but Duke, Mai and Tristan didn't know a thing of what he did. H-he couldn't do this! Seto hadn't protest more than him, though. Joey knew that it had to be the other's proud and strong act that took over, but was he really so sure? He could find out, by looking at the other's eyes… but he was too afraid of what he 'd probably see.

He leaned down, towards the other's lips, and avoided to spare a glance at the cobalt eyes. Seto found himself suppressing a whimper, he was so scared… but he would never let the others know! And why was he so scared, anyway! It would be just a kiss! It wasn't like Joey was planning… other things… he didn't meet his gaze to confirm otherwise.

He clenched the cushions of the couch in his fists, and his eyes shut, trying to avoid the trembling. _Five minutes…_

"Stop it!!" They heard the scream.

Joey shot himself up, relieved being the light word. Tea was standing up, fuming to all in general. "Stop it now!! How can you do this? This isn't fun anymore! The purpose in this game is to have a good time, not push people beyond their limits! This isn't what it was supposed to be, this is a torture!" She was more than furious.

Duke was startled, and he felt quite guilty. "What's the matter? I-I didn't mean to hurt anyone, it was just a joke!"

"Jokes, and everything, Duke, have limits, which you just crossed!" Tea continued, while Joey and Seto were numbly standing up. "Not everything is allowed, not even in a game!"

"I'm sorry, guys. I thought…" Duke tried to apologize. Things had gone terribly wrong; he didn't expect a reaction like that.

"Nothing happened." Seto stated, sadly for everyone, with his old, coldest voice, which he used to cover up emotion. "It wasn't that of a big deal." Joey nodded.

Irma lowered her head. She was feeling guiltier than everybody else. She had seen Seto's discomfort, but she didn't make a thing to stop it, except for lowering that damn camera. She wasn't there for him. How had things gone from the jokes and entertainment to this?

She would never forgive herself.

Suddenly, a cell phone rang, that turned out to be Yugi's. When he picked it:

"It's a message from Sam!"

"Wow, boy!" Tristan exclaimed, and what had happened before got almost instantly forgotten. They started questioning Yugi, teasing him, telling him what to write back. Joey started flirting and being comforted by Mai, helping him forget the previous incident, and feel comfortable again. Tea saw sadly Seto looking at them expressionlessly, then turn out and leave the room, without anyone noticing. She made a move to run after him, but Irma stopped her.

"I'll go." She said to her.

Tea wanted to say: _No, _I'_ll go. I was there for him, you weren't!_ Her eyes widened, shocked at her own thought. When had she started to think like this? She nodded to Irma to go.

Seto had gone outside, to the balcony. He tried to block out the tears. All this time, when he was under Joey, all he could think was Gozaburo's words:

"_Maybe I should have that blond friend of yours do it for me. He would be gentler than me, don't you think?"_

Seto took some deep breaths, in order to calm himself. The fresh air was really refreshing. The urge to cry stopped, but the sadness lingered. They hadn't even noticed he was out there… He smiled bitterly. Who would care? They surely didn't. What Joey had told him, that speech he gave him the other day… The bastard, he wouldn't even meet his eyes, when he was over him and ready to…

The emotional side of Seto told him one thing, one word: Hypocrisy. Exploiting. But the other side, the logical one, which would never leave him, was reminding him that Duke didn't know what Gozaburo had done to him. He didn't have idea of what had really happened in the virtual world. Neither did Mai, or Tristan. What could he do…

And then, he felt someone behind him. He turned, and saw Irma. Was she ready to cry? She definitely looked sad. Wait… had she followed him?

Seto didn't have much time to contemplate about it, as she ran straight into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist, and holding him tightly there. She still refused to cry. She wouldn't cry. And Seto didn't know what to do - or how he felt about it. Right then, he was so numb… He didn't return the hug. They just sat there.

Irma was doing her best not to cry. The purpose was to comfort him, not her. She held him tighter, and felt his heart beating awkwardly at his warm chest. She remembered what Hay Lin's grandma, Yan Lin, had said: _"To get through this fight, you have to consult your two hearts: The one you already know. It's beating right into your chest."_

Follow your heart, follow your heart, follow your heart! Everybody was always saying this! Follow your heart, and you'll do the right thing! And how, pray tell, would you know where your heart beats? And if you know, how can you be so sure that it's beating at the right place? Where _is_ the right place for it to beat? How can you follow something you don't know where it is, where it's going, or where it should be! Just how?

"Where should our heart beat, Seto? Where does it belong?" She asked him in a soft whisper, wishing there was more she could tell him, but knowing that… he didn't need to.

Seto's gaze melted, along with his heart. How could he think he was alone? He had problems… but he could get over them. With them. For them. For her…

He wrapped his strong arms around her waist, holding her in his warm embrace. Irma felt her knees giving away; oh boy… didn't he smell beautifully… his shirt, his neck, his hair…

Seto leaned down, and whispered in her ear, his voice as silky as his locks: "Why, where he can hear it, of course."

…his breath.

She would kiss him, and damn the consequences! Yes, she liked him, yes, she wanted him!

Did she love him? Or was it too soon to speak for love?

She lifted her gaze, and locked eyes with him. Cobalt indigo met emerald sea green, each drowning at the depths of the other. His lips… so smooth they seemed… so enticing, impatient… she leaned forwards, and he did too…

"So there you are!" Tristan appeared from nowhere. "Seto, Mokuba is on the phone, he wants to speak with you!"

…and the magic was gone. When Seto heard his brother's name, he forgot even to growl from irritation. "Excuse me…" He unwrapped his arms away from her and he disappeared inside.

Tristan looked at where he had gone startled, then he looked at Irma. "Was this my imagination, or did he actually say 'excuse me'? Will wonders never cease?"

"Give me a rest, Tristan!" Irma sighed. She hadn't kissed Seto. Was this good or bad? Man, she was so tired and confused! Right now, she wanted only to get some sleep. It was late.

She closed the door to the balcony carefully behind her, as she left. The blue curtains fell and hided her.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Okay guys! I have a very important question to do to all of you!" Joey officially stated, as he was standing up from the cafeteria's couch, where they were all gathered. "What do you prefer: Sex or food?"

"Food!" Irma replied immediately. Seto turned and gave her a funny look.

"I'm sorry! You see, I used to be chubby! It's in my DNA!" She protested.

"Or: You haven't experienced the other matter in it's real depth." Seto smirked devilishly.

Irma felt the blood accumulating in her brain's veins._ When I lay you down, I'll show you, you little sexy jerk! _She thought, but she said: "I will, as soon as I find a cute, warm, humorous, loving, _blond_ guy to make a relationship with!"

Seto raised his eyebrow, amused. "Was all of your relationships like this in the past?"

"Yes…" She said, as she remembered Andrew, Martin, Joel and Steven, namely, all the boys she had taken a liking to. Where was the damn catch?

"Well, that explains it all then."

Irma's jaw dropped. She'd never thought it that way. But she quickly got over it: "Well, what about you then?"

Seto brushed some bangs away from his face. "Sex, I was never a glutton."

Irma fumed, how did that bastard manage to turn his answer to this, was beyond her. But then an evil scheme came up to her mind: "Except when we're talking about chocolate, of course."

"Humph, I suppose I could handle this." Seto replied in a confident, more of an arrogant tone.

"Really?" Irma smiled devilishly, and placed a warm, chocolate soufflé under his nose. "I dare you not to touch this all the afternoon, but being constantly under your nose!" He stiffened, without being able to say a word.

"What about you, Yugi?" Mai asked, always the energetic one.

He blushed like a poppy. "Sex…" He barely whispered.

"So do I." Duke volunteered to take him off the embarrassing situation.

"Me too…" Tea sighed, and under her bangs, she shot a glance at Yugi and Seto.

"Count me in." Tristan added. "Hey, what about you, Joe?"

Joey hesitated. "I really can't decide… I don't know, it's too hard…" He contemplated about it a little. "Food… no, sex… no, food… ugh, I told you, I can't decide!"

"And you, Mai?" Tea giggled, she knew that the blond woman had a good answer in mind…

And indeed. The feisty blond gave a playful look and a wink: "Believe me, sweethearts, I can combine both!"

All the heads turned immediately towards Joey's direction.

"WHY IS EVERYBODY LOOKING AT ME!"

"Yes… why indeed!" Tristan pretended wondering, snickering, planning what jokes he could do to his blond friend afterwards. He would have fun for over a month…

Some minutes passed to a somewhat awkward silence, while everyone was snickering from inside. Until:

"To the hell it goes, I'm constantly losing the bets in this squad, anyway!" Seto cracked, and grabbed a spoon, burying it deeply into the chocolate soufflé in front of him. Then, he dipped it in his mouth, with a full taste of it. He closed his eyes and moaned at the delight of the warm sweetness.

They all tilted their heads to see him better.

"Stop looking, I can sense you!" Came the answer.

"Do you make these moans when you're having your climax?" Irma slipped out. Oh, oh, oh…

Seto dropped the spoon.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Hey guys, guess what we found out!" Duke and Tristan rushed into the room where Yugi, Seto and Joey were playing Duel Monsters.

"Quick, you lackeys, I have a duel to win!" Seto demanded, as Yugi and Joey groaned.

Tristan ignored that comment, as always. "You know what our girls are doing now? They are all in the nearby room, and they talk!"

"They talk?! Really! Fascinating, don't tell me! I never expected that! Hallelujah!" Seto scoffed, making Joey chuckle.

Duke rolled his eyes. "Guys! Girls! Are talking! Girl-talk! About boys! About us! Hello!" He shook his head.

"And… what do you mean, that we should overhear? That's… not right, Duke! We shouldn't!" Yugi stated, the ever-good guy, as always. They all looked at each other.

Thirty Seconds Later

"I cant hear them – what do they say?"

"Quiet, Wheeler, or else they'll catch us!"

"Haven't you ever overheard again, Moneybags?"

"To know what some girls think of me? Definitely not!" The five of them had stick their ears onto the wooden door that separated them from the three girls. But still, they couldn't hear as much as they would like!

"Guys, I can't stand behind the door for a long time more!" Said Yugi, not feeling comfortable at all. "We're invading their privacy. I don't feel it right, and I'm stopping!"

"And I'm thirsty. I'm going too." Duke added.

"And I want to go to the bathroom. I'm off too." Tristan agreed. The three of them left immediately, and disappeared from another nearby door. And that wasn't good… Not for Joey, that he had put all of his weight onto them, while Seto was kneeling under him.

"Argh, Moneybags, they left too quickly!"

Seto didn't bother to look up. "So? You missed them?" He asked, annoyed.

"Yes! And that's because they supported me! And now that they left, I can't keep my balance anymore!" Joey squeaked desperately, while he was toppling.

When Seto realized what those words meant…"What? No, no wait – wait!!" …it was too late.

Joey fell on Seto, and they both fell on the floor, with a loud thud. They remained completely unmoving; in any chance they weren't heard. But… Right after that, Mai opened the door, quirking an eyebrow at the sight. Joey had fell on Seto, holding him from his shoulders and straddling his waist. Well…

"Not that I don't find that pose of yours really interesting, but what exactly are you doing there?"

"MAI!" They both barked.

"What? I'm saying what I'm seeing!" She started chuckling.

"Great! That didn't seem gay at all!" Seto grunted, and he and Joey stood up as fast as a human being could. Mai tapped her foot on the floor several times.

"Well?" She asked them.

"Oh, nothing, we were just overhearing, to see if you really like us – I mean, me!" Joey caught Seto's glare. "And then the three other traitors left, and let me fall on Seto, and then you came, and now I'll go enhance my really hurt manliness by drinking some beers and punch a wall!" Said Joey as casually as he could.

"Other than that, we're fine!" Completed Seto.

"O.k. then, continue, just wait a minute to go and grab that camera which Duke brought… and if you want someone for threesome, I'm soooooooo willingly offered!" Mai sent them a kiss.

"MAI!" Joey shrieked again, while Seto remained cutely speechless. But she just giggled and closed the door. Seto and Joey looked at each other.

"We deserved this." Said Joey.

"Totally." Replied Seto.

"But we'll still overhear again?"

"Yep. But after this, we better not talk to each other for a month!" Seto warned, not only Joey, but himself as well.

"I agree. I need time to be cured!" Joey nodded, and they stick their ears on the door again. But Joey didn't remain silent for a long time. His expression got serious, and he left the door. Seto noticed, and he frowned, leaving the door as well.

"What's the matter, puppy?" He asked him, a bit concerned.

Joey let out a weak laugh. "Still a puppy, huh? Even after what happened to the 'Truth or Dare'…" Joey knew he shouldn't do this, he was feeling guilty for bringing it up, but he didn't want to bottle things inside…

Seto froze. Why was Joey referring to this, after so much time? "We've talked about this, it was no…"

"Nothing?" An angry glint flashed through Joey's eyes, making them darker. Suddenly, he seized violently Seto's wrists, and shoved him inside a door at the opposite side of the hall, where no one could hear them. He pushed Seto, pinning him to the nearby wall. "I don't think so. Not for me." He whispered hotly in the other's ear.

Seto felt his senses almost abandoning him; the world was getting darker and darker… This was nightmare, it had to be. A perverse joke, for which he would tell Joey off later… He had done so much for this guy! And now… this? It didn't make any sense, any fucking sense! Wasn't Joey and Yugi supposed to be his best friends? What was he thinking, of course they weren't… _They_ were best friends; the two of them alone. Seto didn't fit.

_How could I do this? How could I trust him?_ His mind was screaming, but his body refused to make a noise. _Let him do anything… let him do this._ _Let's end this as quickly as we can_. _I wouldn't escape forever, anyway…_ Seto mused, his heart breaking. He closed his eyes, anticipating the next move.

And then, he felt the pressure leaving his wrists. He let himself slip quietly on the floor. He stayed like this for a good couple of minutes, but still, nothing happened. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes, to slits, just to see what was going on… just to have a vague idea of what he was sure it would follow.

He was more than surprised to see Joey's eyes glistening with tears. Those chocolate eyes that now seemed like his. Seto opened fully his eyes - he was more than startled.

When Joey spoke, his voice was cracked. "He didn't have to rape you, the bastard, did he? He achieved what he wanted. You're completely defenseless."

Seto was stunned, still not finding the voice to respond to this statement. But Joey didn't stop:

"You didn't fight me. You didn't do anything. Look at you…" He waved towards the other's motionless form, on the ground. "You could have easily snapped me in two. Instead, you were afraid even to be touched by me! You… you would have let me… let me… Did you honestly believe…" Joey's voice didn't obey him to complete the sentence, as he was taking a few steps backwards, shaking his head 'no, I refuse to believe it' as he was doing so. "And you still say it's nothing!"

"I have some problems, okay??" Seto suddenly shot up, his blue eyes glazing with rage and sorrow. "I know it, you don't have to remind me, because I never forget it, it's in my mind every day, every single fucking day! But do you honestly think that doing something like this gets me better? That it will make me _stronger?_" Seto felt his raw rage rising, boiling into his depths. "I didn't resist, because it was _you!_ I couldn't fight back, because betrayal can be more powerful than any other weapon! Didn't you feel it? Didn't you feel it when Mai joined Orichalkos?"

Joey felt himself being lost, trembling. Gods, what had he done! But… but he didn't intend to… He thought that… "I-I thought that… but… how can you be so sure that…"

"…That I won't let anyone else do that? Wake up, Joey! You may now are my friend, but that doesn't mean I have changed, get that through your minds, all of you! I am Seto Kaiba!" Seto stood his full height, his style filled with sarcasm, arrogance and confidence. "I know how to crush my enemies down, like the warms they are." He smirked. "And my enemies are everyone else except Mokuba and you guys…" His expression softened.

That didn't make Joey feel better. He felt totally stupid, weak and imbecile. How could he think that if he did this, he would teach Seto a lesson, and he would actually help him? That what he was doing was _right?_ That all that mattered was the fight, and not the circumstances? He dropped to his knees, his eyes never stopping watering. "Forgive me…" He managed to whisper faintly.

What did he expect? It was Seto Kaiba. He couldn't forgive. And what he had just done didn't bare forgiveness. That was why he gasped from surprise when he saw Seto kneeling in front of him, so they were at the same level. Seto's eyes were so sad, as he brushed away Joey's tears. "They say it's difficult to forgive, puppy…" He sighed. "But it's more difficult to ask for forgiveness and really mean it."

They hugged each other tightly, without feeling any shame. Their hearts now happy and peaceful.


	15. Think Well About It

A/N: Sorry for the hectic leaving the other days… without even pleading for a review

**A/N: **Sorry for the hectic leaving the other days… without even pleading for a review! You might have wondered what was wrong with me. Come on people, this pretty little purple button down there won't cost much of your time… but it will definitely make my whole day! Oh, and this chapter contains strong romance (always with my way): I'll do my best with it!

Chapter 15: Think Well About It

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Irma kicked as hard as she could the little box of soda that happened, unfortunately for it, to be exactly at her feet. It landed ten or so feet away, at the muddy road in front. She was standing under the bus station, waiting desperately for one to come (for over an hour, plus the shitty weather at the whole situation, which had left mud everywhere and certainly didn't make things better), but as things appeared, there would be none. The people around her were irritated as well, but that didn't prevent an old lady to spat at her, for her swearing:

"Watch your mouth, young lady! There are children here!" And she motioned towards two poor kids, whose mum was talking, infuriated, at her cell phone. "My, my, young people these days! That's why you see so many single young girls! With a mouth like that, who would take them?" She rolled her eyes.

"Mind your own business, you old, expired mummy!" She barked, making the old lady jump from surprise and further irritation. "Who told you I'm single, anyways?"

"With that mouth of yours, what else could you be?" The old lady pointed out, holding her nose high. "You are so…"

Before Irma could lose her temper completely, and forget how older the woman in front of her was, the mother of the two children the old lady had previously pointed at, closed her cell phone, and announced: "That was it. There gonna be no bus. They say it stuck at the mud or something… Really, with that rainy weather, we should have expected it. We should call a cab."

Everyone did as told, but as Irma was digging in her purse, she realized it: She had no money, and not even a cell phone. "Fuck!" She swore again, and this time, she felt a very stressful and worried pang in her chest. _Don't tell me I'll have to walk all the way, don't tell me… Shit, when will I learn to be responsible, at last? And why the hell did I bring a purse with me, since there was almost nothing in it? _She thought. If she weren't as tough as she claimed herself to be, she would have cried at the spot. _Damn, Kaiba is getting into me!_ She shot her head up at this thought, blushing at the double meaning.

"No way to get a cab, young lady? So you're irresponsible as well!" The old woman smirked, and Irma felt the urge grab her neck and plant her head into the ground. "I assume that, with that weather, you won't have an umbrella either."

"What did I told you??" Irma almost screamed. "Shut up! I'm standing at a useless bus stop, with no cell phone, no money, and an old crake for company! Things can't get any worse!" And with that, the skies opened and the rain poured like a waterfall. On her head. "It probably could." She announced afterwards with the look of: 'I'm giving up'. And, as if these weren't enough, the cabs that the others had called came right then.

"Too bad girl that no one will come to get you. Looks like you'll have to walk. It serves you right." The old lady mocked, as she was readying herself to get in the cab. Irma lowered her head. _What the hell is her problem with me? Let that goat say whatever she likes, I won't waste my strength for it, anyways. She's not worth of it. _Then she smirked. _Though I would like to beat the crap out of her._

Suddenly, a corn sounded from the car behind that cab, which had also stopped. Irma tilted her head to see it better. A black Porsche. A very familiar black Porsche…

The window rolled down, to reveal Seto Kaiba's arrogant and the-definition-of-handsome face. His sapphire eyes scanned her from tip to toes. Then, a smirk made its appearance in his smooth lips, and his eyebrows disappeared behind his silky chocolate bangs. "Did you cross paths with a tornado, Lair? I'm having a déjà vu." Yeah, always the sweet-talker. Behind Irma, the old lady had remained gawking. And she noticed. She let out a so evil smirk, that Seto had difficulty to recognize her.

"Earth to Irma! What happened to you?" He continued, and to his outmost surprise, saw her stick her tongue out towards the cab that had just left. "What was that for?" When she turned to face him, she was grinning.

"Oh, nothing…Gee, Kaiba, I never was so happy to see you before!"

"And that's… why?" He smirked, very amused. He had found a way to piss her off.

She narrowed her eyes, she had grasped what he was insinuating. "I'm taking that as: you're not gonna take me with you."

"Of course not." He assured her, in his most arrogant tone. She gritted her teeth, and he continued, with more of a mocking tone. "I have a business meeting to attend. Do you think I would waste my time in saving you weakling's butt every time you're in trouble? Think again. With whatever…"

"You know something, Kaiba?" She interrupted him, with cold and indifferent anger; she didn't plan to take a shit from him, no matter what her situation may was. "Go ahead and screw yourself freely. I don't give a crap!"

His left eyebrow disappeared under his hair. He chuckled. "And what will you do, may I ask? Sit there, while the rain makes you as wet as the dolphins you take care of, until the other bus comes? Or you'll wait for another miracle?"

"If my alternative is a ride with you…" Her eyes widened and she blushed, but who could see that in the rain? She bitted her tongue, while he was regarding her with a cat-like smile.

Seto looked at her for some seconds, and then laughed with a low voice, tilting his head backwards and closing slightly his eyes. "Oh, Lair, it's never late for _that_. You should have asked." Then he faced her again, with a mischievous expression plastered in his face. "Although I can ditch the meeting for that…"

"You're that desperate for some sex? I should have guessed." She scoffed, it was payback time. "Well I'm not! I prefer sitting in the rain, on this muddy road, than rolling on the expensive bed sheets with you!"

That comment brought an image in both of their minds, which would take them a long time to forget. Irma smirked. She was too irritated to get affected, she was the one who brought it up purposely, after all, and now she could enjoy seeing Seto struggling to calm his breath. Truth was, that damn image had made Seto's pants feel extremely tight. _Damn her, never, never again tight pants, and I'll have to avoid leather! _He thought, frustrated enough.

But he got over it in some seconds. Not the hard-on, the frustration. "I'm going to a hotel, anyway… Would you really prefer the mud and the dirt from the warm and clean sheets of a Five Stars hotel? With mirror on the ceiling… And as for the wetness, I can arrange." _I'm talking about a bath, of course._ He thought, and suppressed the urge to laugh his lungs out. He remembered Joey's words: _"Is the only way for someone to win you in an argument mentioning sex?"_ Like hell, no one could beat him!

If Irma could, she would have slapped him so bad that his head would fly away of the rest of his body! How dared the bastard, too bad for her he was inside the car! Well, she knew that this wasn't sexual harassment, he didn't really mean what he was saying, and it was just his exaggerated way to never lose an argument! However, she'd bet that, being a man, if she said yes, he wouldn't say no. But she wasn't at the mood to test that – it would have been too risky. So she did the next best thing to pass her message across.

She sat down. On the street. The muddy street. She didn't care about the dirt; little price to pay, compared to leaving the CEO gawking.

And so he did. Seto was left looking at her, was this girl _serious_? Even a little mature!

"I mean every word of what I'm saying, Kaiba." She just said, enjoying his stunned expression, which quickly changed.

He gave her a small and sad smile. "Ok, Lair, jump in. We're going to the hotel, and I'll have all that I said previously provided for you. Plus, my absence." Now he was serious. She gave him a completely astonished look. "Damn it girl, get in before you catch pneumonia!"

In no time, Irma was sitting beside him. "At last." She said, and avoided to look at him. "Uh, I think it's better to take me home… If this doesn't make you late for your meeting!" She hurried to say, like it had sounded demanding and insulting. "Not that I don't like the luxuries of the hotel… but I'm not presentable." She gave a weak smile away.

Seto turned and looked at her. "No, you're not. And don't worry about the meeting. I have time." He assured her, and on they left. The ride was completely silent, and they were outside her apartment in a few minutes.

"Seto…" She mumbled, looking at the droplets sliding down the car's window, without getting out.

"What?" He snapped, irritated. _Now_ he hadn't time!

"Thank you." And she got off the car, with one fluid movement. His anger was gone instantly, replace by a vague feeling of guilt.

"Hey Irma…" He started saying. Shit, why was he feeling somewhat… bad? No way. But he'd better as well be over with it. "There's gonna be a Ball next Saturday night… Kaiba's Corporation new project success… And I need a partner. At least, when I come to pick you up, be decent! Nine sharp." And with that, he took off, leaving her staring blankly at the fading frame of his Porsche.

Normally, she would have flipped out. He demanded it. He didn't ask if she could, or even if she wanted to come. But Irma said and showed nothing other than emptiness. She numbly opened the door, climbed the stairs, and got into her apartment. She started undressing and preparing her bath, like nothing absolutely had happened. She tossed the clothes into the basket she had and stepped into her bathtub, washing thoroughly her hair and her body, closing her eyes and trying to relax. She had just started to rub her brown, now dark chocolate, by the water, hair, when the phone rang. She ran to answer.

"Hello?" She said impatiently.

"Hey, it's me." Sounded Will's voice from the other side of the phone. "How are things going with our case?"

Irma sighed, and then, though the redhead couldn't see her, smirked. She sat heavily on the couch, playing with her hair. "Better than expected. You see, I didn't have to beg him to take me with him. He asked me himself."

"Really." Will stated, surprised at the least. "Well, that's a plus. Saves us from trouble. Will you try to get in touch with them?"

"Heh, don't worry about it." Irma replied arrogantly. "With all that emotional stress, since we got out the virtual world, everyone forgot about me and my little tricks. No one questioned me about Pegasus, can you believe our luck?" At the other side of the line, Will chuckled. Irma continued: "The only problem is that Seto isn't a fool. He will start questioning now. Can you sent Orube, or Hay Lin with Cedric, and try to distract him? I want some time with Pegasus alone, to return him the anti-virus."

"The one that got you out the Virtual Realm, am I correct?" Will chuckled once again. "Is he charging it to you by the day?"

"No. In fact, I got it free. But you won't believe what it took me to put it in Mokuba's computer without them noticing!" Irma sighed. "And I also don't wanna risk Seto seeing Kadma. He might remember his orphanage headmistress, don't you think?"

"Nah, I think that he'll flip out more if he learn that you're digging his past…"

"I have a mission, don't I?"

"More like helping Kadma get rid of her guilt… Don't fuse them."

"Fine!" Irma snapped. "Whatever! But the fact remains: I'm doing things behind their back!"

"Chill. The reward will be rich enough, it's truly worth of it…" Will said somewhat indifferently. "Really rich… Oh, and Steven passed by the other days. He was looking for you, asking questions… And so did Joel. What should we tell them?"

"Steven who? That ass of an ex-boyfriend of mine? Tell him to go fuck himself…" Irma responded in a bored tone. "However, tell Joel. He probably wants to visit, I've missed him and his jokes…"

"Ok… Be very careful, Irma. If Seto Kaiba finds out what you're really doing, he'll most likely kill you, and that's not a joke." Will tried to warn worryingly her friend, but Irma:

"Oh, come on. What do you think I am, an amateur? In a final analysis, it's him I'm working for. Don't worry Will, I can manage. I always do." Irma rested her head comfortably at the cushions, being heard very confident.

Will narrowed her brown eyes. "I know. I'm just telling you to be cautious. And don't overreact. Don't let your emotion get the best of you either. Ok?"

"Oh, for God's shake, I'm not thirteen anymore! I can control myself!" Irma groaned. "Anyway, thanks. See you." And she closed the phone, nestling comfortably in her large, blue couch.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Saturday came rather quickly, for both of them. Irma didn't exactly understand how fast time was passing. Although the days

before, she was in an official panic blow – about her appearance. She consulted Mai and Tea, but their taste in clothes… well, Mai's was too sluttish for the occasion, and Tea's too tomboyish. She talked with Hay Lin as well: Too eccentric. If Serenity hadn't sent her the appropriate dress from Paris, she would have definitely blow a gasket.

"I love you, Ren." Irma sighed from relief, when she got her dress. It was sea green, to match her eyes; where on Earth had Serenity found that color? Who cares! The dress was perfect. It reached her shanks, it was sleeveless and it got tied behind the neck, leaving exposed her back and her collarbone. It wasn't for clubbing, but it didn't come from the Stone Age either. She liked it. The question was: Would he?

And now it was time for her to find out.

"Coming!!" She yelled when she heard the corn outside, though she knew he couldn't hear her. She was hopping in her left leg, while she was trying to tie her other bronze sandal (with heels, always), and her brown hair was preventing her from seeing. She had left them cascade her shoulders freely; she felt her back too exposed to upswept them. And she didn't like that hairstyle, anyways.

When she finally made it, without earning another corn – warning, she stepped out and walked hurryingly towards him.

"I'm on time, am I not?" She flashed him an arrogant smile, while she was getting into the car.

Seto scanned her with his eyes thoroughly, looking intensely for any flaw. He found none, and he smirked. Well, it seemed like it was the right decision to ask her and not one of the other two. After all, he was always right. "You're fine." He graced her with that one simple comment, and his gaze fell on her neck. He fought the urge to plant his lips and suck roughly at the soft skin…

Irma didn't suspect a thing about his fantasizing. "If it's you telling that, then I guess I'm perfect." She smirked as well. "Well? Will we start moving on soon?" She teased him, and he pressed the accelerator.

Ten Minutes Later

"And what is _that_?" Irma pointed with horror at the front door of the hotel.

Seto snickered. "What does it look like? Paparazzi. Are you tough enough to get past them?" Enough dozens of die – hard reporters were standing, hopping and yelling at the hotel's main entrance, requesting desperately a line from the businessmen and the other important people that were walking inside. They reminded Irma of vultures.

"Hn, see me!" She shot at Seto, and they got off the car. The plan was simple: Keep your mouth completely shut!

As she took his offered arm and they walked towards their destination, thousands of flashes blinded them. "For God's shake, these are not the Oscar's Awards! What are they doing?" She whispered in his ear, completely stressed.

"You'd better get used to it. Your name will be at the tabloids for a month approximately, now that you came with me. Don't you like the popularity?" The last sentence left his mouth with tons of sarcasm.

When they stepped into the Hall the Ball was taking place, the difference was so relieving… The place was quiet, elegant and aristocratic, as the people inside it were. Irma let a heavy sigh slip.

Seto chuckled. "Yes, now you can breathe. It's not so bad here, isn't it?"

"Not at all." She looked around like a child does when it first sees the Christmas decoration. "You know, I've been in another place like that. At the opening of Heatherfield's Theater. But it was a long time ago…"

"Really. And what exactly did you do there?" Seto was intrigued.

_Interpol was chasing me…_ "Oh, nothing, I just wanted to see the play…"

"Kaiba – boy! What a pleasant surprise!" They heard the unmistakable voice behind them. Only one person in the world dared to stick that nickname to Seto Kaiba.

Seto turned, cold and aloof as always. "Too bad I can't say the same, Pegasus."

But that didn't seem to discourage the long gray-haired man with the red suit. He gave that mischievous smile again. "You haven't changed at all, Kaiba – boy… How are you doing, Irma – girl?" He bowed to Irma a little.

She snickered. "Really, Pegasus, you're calling _all_ the people like that?"

"More or less… So, now you and Kaiba – boy are an item?" Pegasus rushed things a little, but Irma knew what he was trying to do. Before Seto couldn't even open his mouth, he continued: "Congratulations! I always knew that you'd find a gorgeous girl, Kaiba – boy, you deserve it…"

"Irma and I are _not_ an item." Seto's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't remember you jumping to conclusions all that easily, Pegasus. Perhaps you should explain me…"

"Excuse me!" Another female voice interrupted them, a voice that Irma knew all-too-well. Seto turned, to be graced with the sight of a tall woman with pale skin, pitch black, short hair, and yellow eyes. She wore a simple, auburn dress. "My name is Rebecca Rudolph. I'm mostly known as Orube. Have you heard about me, Seto Kaiba?"

"Of course." He replied immediately, almost forgetting about Irma and Pegasus. (Key word – almost) "The pioneer journalist. I guess that's why they allowed you entrance. I've read your articles." Orube was a good, if not the best opportunity for Kaiba Corp. to get through the right press.

"And…?" Orube took Seto by his arm, leading him away. "I want to write an article about Kaiba Corp. That's why I'm here. I think that you'd like my version better. Can we talk privately?"

Seto shot a glance at Irma, who just smiled at him and shrugged.

"Don't worry, Kaiba – boy. She will be safe with me. I'm here." Pegasus earned a glare from Seto that it was all his.

_This is what I'm worrying about!_ Seto thought bitterly. No matter how much time had passed, Seto would never, _ever_ trust Pegasus! And all the things Gozaburo had told…_To the hell, all of them!_ He silently yelled. Why should he care? It wasn't like he was jealous or something! "Fine." He just said, and followed Orube.

When he disappeared from sight, Irma didn't lose time. She dug into her bronze purse, and took out the small chip. "Here." She gave it to Pegasus, who hid it into his pocket. "Thanks again." She smiled at him. "I guess you want the card too…"

"Oh no, Irma – girl." Pegasus smiled genuinely this time. "Keep the card… Did you use it at all?"

Irma lowered her head. "No. I was probably too scared to use it… But we ended up well. Have you seen Kadma?"

"Yes, she's here… But I don't think it's necessary to see Seto from now. She can explain him later… if not at all." Pegasus mused.

"Well, that her choice. We just help her." Irma shrugged. "How long do you think it will take Orube?"

"Not so long… They're both laconic, aren't they?" Pegasus took a ship from his glass, filled with red whine. "But you didn't tell me, how are things going with the Yugi–tachi? I have a long time to see them…"

And time passed with small talk. After a quarter or so, Seto and Orube returned.

"Thank you very much for your time, Kaiba Seto." Orube winked at him. "I hope I didn't steal many of your valuable moments." And she looked at Irma, who almost growled. She'd tell her off later…

"Not at all, it was my pleasure." Seto kissed the back of Orube's offered hand, making her blush. Irma fought the urge to tell Orube off right now and then.

"Mr. Pegasus, I have some questions for you as well…" Orube continued, and disappeared soon after that, along with Pegasus, who smirked.

"So? How did it go?" Irma asked Seto smoothly.

"As always." He replied, coldly. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "There are some things you'd better start explaining soon… Like the anti-virus you put into the VR, and your acquaintance, Pegasus. Really, why are you digging in my past? Weren't what you learned in the VR enough? It would have been a great story from your friend, the journalist. It surprised me that she didn't greet you at all."

Irma opened her mouth to reply, but no words would come out. _He knew? The bastard knew?_ She almost choked. Did he know about Kadma as well? Had Orube told him they knew each other? He knew what he was doing; he had taken her with him with that exact purpose!

She gritted her teeth and glared at him, with a low hiss. But his eyes were sending iced flames right into hers. "If I wanted to sell your personal past, I would have done it a long time ago. This isn't the reason I searched for you." She whispered, never breaking the eye contact.

"Then what was it?" He asked, waiting patiently for the answer. There was a piece he had missed, in fact, a lot of pieces, when he made _his_ research about _her_ past. And he didn't like that one bit. The fun thing was that she hadn't expected him to do so. He almost smirked, she should have understood by then that he was nothing but an idiot.

Irma knew she shouldn't tell him right now, she wasn't even sure about her findings. It was all up to Kadma, his old orphanage headmistress and former guardian to explain. And he had started to get into dangerous territories, if he looked for information about her. Were the files in Interpol about her erased? She couldn't know.

She had just decided to reply imprecisely, namely talk out of her ass, when another male voice interrupted them, which made the blood in her veins froze. "Mr. Kaiba Seto, am I right?"

Seto turned, and came face to face with another man, probably five years older than him. He was still young to be in business, though. Seto had seen him some other times; he owned the largest chain of bookshops in the country. The man had pale blond, short hair, and auburn eyebrows with also a small auburn beard, only at his chin. Weird combination. He wore a deep green suit, making difference with Seto's usual white one.

"Phobos Di Meridian." Seto stated, and he and Phobos exchanged a handshake. Weird name, too. "What do I owe this encounter?"

"You're known everywhere, Kaiba Seto. I thought that a conversation with you can be interesting, at the least. And your charming escort would be…?" Phobos was almost as tall as Seto, so he bowed a little to take Irma's hand and look at her eyes. And when he did so, his gray ones narrowed, then widened. "Irma? Irma Lair?" He smirked. "Oh, the world is indeed small, isn't it?" Irma clutched Seto's hand with such a force, that Seto never suspected she had. She could almost break his bones!

Irma shot him a glance, filled with absolute shock and hatred. "And I could never imagine the day that you'd be a gentleman, you insidious snake!" She jerked her hand away. Then, she raised a cocky eyebrow. "Didn't you have longer hair the last time I met you?"

"Didn't you have shorter?" He taunted her. Then he turned at Seto. "Doesn't she make the life difficult for you? She surely made mine." Seto allowed himself half a smirk, to hide his rage. Irma fumed.

"Listen, Phobos." She started, folding her arms across her chest. "I know that this is a very important Ball, and I would prefer not to see my name at the screens all over the world tomorrow, and I'm sure you don't either, so why don't you turn away with small hops before I strangle you?" She offered him a fake sweet, yet dangerous smile.

When Phobos opened his mouth to reply at the same spirit, Seto cut him off: "He won't have to. Follow me. There's something you have to know, and this argument doesn't benefit either of us." He took Irma by her arms and started leading her away. Then he turned to Phobos again, who was observing them with a very predator-like smirk. "If you don't have a decent deal to propose, not interested." And they disappeared into the crowd. Seto lead Irma to the empty balcony, where no one could see or hear them.

One word to describe him:

Furious.

"What the hell was that?! _Explain! _NOW!" He almost yelled. Irma swallowed hard, this was too much. A) He knew she was searching about him B) He had lead her purposely into trap and C) the worst of all: An old enemy had miraculously come back from the dead, standing right a few feet away. What the hell was she supposed to do to tame the beast inside Seto Kaiba, and help her get rid of the stress?

She kissed him.

Seto completely froze, that was _not_ what he had expected. Her lips… upon his. And then he forgot everything else. He grabbed her from the back of her neck, and then he crushed their lips further, causing her to gasp and allow him access. His tongue didn't waste time, and started exploring hungrily, impatiently and non-regretfully the insides of her sweet mouth.

Irma felt him tense up. At least she had silenced him. But when he initiated that heated kiss, she forgot even how to stand. Her knees gave in and she leaned into him, just to be supported a little. The kiss was raw, harsh, yet so wanted and passionate. She took the lead, and started exploring his mouth, not hesitantly at all. Finally! Seto Kaiba was hers, and nothing else in the whole world mattered… Wait, had something previously happened? Who cares!

They broke the kiss, due to the need of oxygen. They were both left panting heavily, their chests going up and down to catch their breaths. Irma's arms were wrapped around Seto's neck, his around her waist. They looked at each other, still not telling anything, trying to figure out and get across the feelings they both had.

Seto broke the silence first, unwrapping his arms. "That was… not expected." He just said, averting his eyes from her sea – green ones. "But don't think that I forgot about the previous… incident_s!_" He told her, emphasizing the plural.

Irma was in a trance. "Huh? What incidents? Oh…" She nodded when she remembered. Gods, Phobos had returned! But he probably had no powers left; otherwise no one of the former guardians would stand alive by now, her included. She decided just to warn Will. As for Seto's case…

"Seto… I know I did things behind your back… And I was too much of a chicken to admit it." She laughed weakly. "But I didn't do anything to harm you… Haven't I proved that?" She asked him, referring to her duel with Gozaburo. Seto didn't answer, he just remained silent, and she continued: "Please, just trust me. I did what I did because I want to help someone… who wants to help you. And I didn't tell you because I feared that you might say I was a stalker or something…"

Seto still didn't say anything. He couldn't trust her. That kiss was wrong, but it felt so good… It was wrong! Someone who wanted to help him? Ridiculous! The more he was thinking about it, the less he trusted her. She was probably lying… and maybe she was even misguided. But… How dared she kiss him to distract him! How dared she make him feel so good, and be so fake, how could she? How dared she mock him with such a kiss, his kiss!

He glared at her, blue eyes outright cold. "The Ball is over for us. Let's go." And he dragged her along outside.

Irma followed numbly, without realizing it, without protesting. Why should she? There was nothing else for them to do there, no reason to linger pointlessly.

The ride home was deadly silent. Seto's eyes darted on the road and only the road, his lips forming a thin line. Irma was looking speechless at her lap, where she had her hands folded. The night was royally a disaster.

When they reached her home and Seto pulled over, Irma hesitated a little. Then she turned to give him a kiss in the cheek, just for goodnight, just to make things a little better…

He turned his head away.

"Fine." She stated bitterly, forcing the car's door open. "Be an ass." And she slammed the door as she was getting out, both the car's and her apartment's one.

Seto was most likely fuming at this moment. So now it was _his_ fault? _She_ was the one plotting behind his back! What the hell did she want to achieve with _this,_ now? He slammed his foot at the accelerator.

Irma saw from her window the black car disappearing quickly into the darkness. "Good riddance." She said through gritted teeth, and pushed violently the curtains to close. She hadn't time for this. She had to phone Will.

**A/N: **So sorry for the delay!! The idea of the mystery struck me halfway… Not much of romance huh? Well, it's more than the other times! **Apologizes**! REVIEW ME PEOPLE!


	16. Upside Down

A/N: Hey

**A/N: **Hey! Did you miss me? I sure as hell missed you! Sorry for the slow motion I've put the progress of this story on, but… well, what can I say? The blame is on me… But now I'm back! Yeah baby!

Chapter 16: Upside Down

Irma wasn't at the best of her moods. In fact, she couldn't be any worse. The date with Seto had left her with a rather bitter taste, plus the newfound stress. Only God knew what Phobos would do to them. If Will would succeed at stopping him, good, but if she didn't, things could get pretty nasty. Irma didn't worry about the others that much, Phobos hadn't seen them…

But he had seen Seto.

And that piece of a narrow-minded jerk thought plans and traps against him again! Irma's face contorted with rage; why was she even trying with that man?

Whoa, wait a minute! What was she doing?

Anyway, she hadn't time for thoughts like that for the time being. Kadma had invited her to her orphanage, the same orphanage Seto and Mokuba had gone. Well, she should pay her the visit. After all, she was doing everything for that.

She grabbed her keys and exited the door of her apartment, walking furiously to get a cab for the other side of the city.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"So, let me summarize the whole situation: Irma was and is secretly gathering information about us, she's friends with Pegasus and a journalist named Orube who didn't even greet her when she met her, because they didn't want you to know that they knew each other, and then you met a man named Phobos, who was a fairly reminding of a snake, and when you demanded explanations, she kissed you, and then you left angrily the Ball, dropped her at her house, turned your face around when she was to kiss you again, and left."

"Joey talk more slowly you gave me a headache." Yugi slapped his own forehead for emphasis. Seto had just told them the event of the previous night, and Joey had just tried to grasp it all at once.

"And what was _I_ supposed to feel, Moto?" Seto interrupted them groaning. "I'm glad I escaped pills so far. Now tell me, what are we going to do about her? We need a plan." The statement was cold and emotionless.

"Well, there is a minor question that needs to be answer first." Joey said with the look of: I-know-it-all. "How stupid are you?"

Seto's head shot up to meet Joey's gaze, and tried to freeze it with a glare.

"Don't look at me like that!" Joey protested. "You're talking like she's an enemy or something! Mind if I remind you that Gozaburo torn her into pieces when she was trying to protect you?"

"Distractions. Deceptive charms. Guilt. I can find a millions of reasons why she did what she did. The problem is that the answer is only one." Seto dismissed the thought easily. "You think I haven't thought about that?"

"Well, maybe there are more that one answers." Yugi accepted the other option. "I don't think she wants to harm us. Wouldn't she have already done so if she wanted?"

Seto shook his head. "There's the possibility she's waiting for something. We can't risk it now, can we?"

"Have you done any research? About her past?" Yugi asked, a bit of puzzled.

"Of course. She's got files even in Interpol." Seto smirked, he was sure, with a woman like her… "And you know what's the accusation?"

"What?" Yugi frowned.

"Magic." As soon as the words left Seto's lips, Yugi and Joey's eyes widened at their full extent. "I guess that I'll be dragged in another crappy adventure of yours soon."

"Oh, come on!" Joey threw his hands in the air due to frustration. "All those are bullshit! We are in the 21st century! It's not like they're chasing the witches of Hallem anymore! Hell, I've seen so many things in this life that I wouldn't hesitate to believe at one single moment that she's involved with magic, but that chasing thing is ridiculous! I don't believe a shit!"

"Well, welcome to the club." Seto smirked once again. "Now you know how it feels."

"I still think she doesn't mean harm, though." Seto groaned at that last comment of the blond.

"Me too." Yugi added. "But we must clear this up. The first thing we'll have to do is to ask her."

"Are you crazy??" Seto and Joey chimed in unison.

"Moto, the last thing we want, is her knowing! We'll lose the advantage of suddenness!" Seto was at the verge of furious.

"And she'll think we are nuts!" Joey exclaimed. Then he turned to Seto: "But really, she may already think that, since you kissed her and then you turned your face away…"

"What? What is _that_ suppose to mean?" Seto was _now _past furious. "You think that I should just let her kiss me again, when she used me to…"

"Geese, what are you, a girl?" Joey stated aloud, cheesed off. "The next time, I'll gladly let her use _me!_"

He hadn't managed to complete his sentence, and Seto's hand had already grabbed his neck. With a huge, evil grin, Seto lifted Joey up the ground, enjoying seeing him thrash and writhe, yanking at his hand while trying desperately to breathe. "How did you call me, Wheeler?"

"W-Who, me?" Joey managed to stutter between the constant fights for air. "I-I think you completely mi-misunderstood…"

"Seto, let him go, he's turning blue!" Yugi yelled, trying to get Joey off Seto's grasp, while Joey's face was turning to a pale azure hue. Seto continued grinning.

"Yeah, that's a good color on him, isn't it?"

"KAIBA!"

"Oh fine…" Seto let Joey off his hand, who landed on the floor with a loud thud. "The next time, choose your words more carefully, mutt." And he turned to leave, walking gracefully as always towards the door. "Lair, and everybody else, don't learn a shit of what we talked about. We'll get sure first." That was almost an order, and Yugi glared at him.

Before Seto could open the door, Joey, whose face was turning slowly back to its original color, managed to stand at his feet. When he tilted his head, he was smirking. "What was that for, rich boy? For the 'girl' calling or coz I wanted Irma? Are you jealous, Moneybags?"

Seto gritted his teeth. "I think that I will need those pills, in the end, Pain killers."

"Huh? Why?" Joey asked troubled.

"Coz you're a pain in the ass, Wheeler!"

Instead of erupting in a fit of rage, Joey gave him a wicked grin. "Really? Ya think so?"

Seto raised a coy eyebrow. "Very much, I think, yes." He gave the blond a weird look. What was that mutt up to, now? He shot a glance at Yugi, and he seemed troubled as well. That, until the cheeks of his spiky-haired friend flushed brightly red and he buried his face into his hands.

Huh?

Joey gave a low chuckle at the brunette's dead end. And people were calling him so smart… So he decided to push it a little. "Well, I can assure you I can be. Do you wish me to show you?"

_Wait a minute…_ It finally dawned on Seto. But hell if he would let the puppy win!

As Joey was desperately suppressing his wild laughter, a wide smirk came up to Seto's face.

"That's not necessary, you do it every day… I have to go now, but call me later…" Seto winked at Joey and turned around, leaving the room, with a seriously dumbfounded Joey and Yugi laughing his lungs out.

Joey was going to explode. _Had this bastard just winked?! _When would he find Moneybags to teach him a good lesson! "Yugi where can I win this bastard at something?!"

Yugi stood up with a great try, whipping off the tears they had fallen from the hard laugh. "I could say that you have already won him in heart, Joey, but… Just pick a video game he doesn't know, just to be sure."

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

The iron gates of the orphanage had seriously changed since twelve whole years ago. Irma walked inside somewhat uneasy. The foundation 'Stars' had gotten its name from Cassidy's Constellation, the young guardian's whose life was sacrificed at the altar of the ancient rules of secrecy. (A/N: Don't ask) The sacrifice of the 17-year-old girl disgusted Irma. Apparently, it disgusted Cassidy's best friends as well, thus they cut the ties with the 'organizers of the universe', as they called them. Kadma and Halinor took their own route, and built this orphanage to help the children that were in need.

Twelve years ago, there was an enormous earthquake. The 'Stars' wasn't outside of the list with the disasters. With Halinor already gone, Kadma had serious monetary difficulties to provide the children a standard of living with dignity. They got some money from the state, but they were enough only to make a miserable, dull building without a drop of happiness. Kadma neglected the kids, trying to find some ways to make things better. The chance appeared two years later, when Gozaburo Kaiba came with a charity offer.

"And that is how you know the story. The way most people do." Kadma commented, pouring some tea into Irma's cup. Irma didn't like tea, but she drunk for she didn't want to insult the elder woman. The place they were in was something like a living room, but it seemed that it was more of a greenhouse, plus, the air of luxury was radiating from all over the place. Well, Kadma was the former guardian of earth's element, so…

Irma took the cup from the glass-table. "You mean there's an other side of it?"

"There's always another side." Kadma looked outside, where her favorite pet, the raven Kiko had hided. "Only that this side isn't a bright one."

"I'm waiting." Irma took a sip from her drink and fought back the urge to pout. Kadma saw her and smirked.

"Put the cup down, honey." She said, with a suspect of sarcasm in her voice. "Don't you want to know about a boy named Seto?" And with that, she took out of her dress-pocket a tape recorder, she placed it on the table and pressed rec.

As Kadma had foreseen, Irma choked with the tea. "So you know!" She exclaimed, pointing at Kadma, not minding the recorder.

The elder woman lowered her eyes. "If I know him? I am the one who sold him to Gozaburo."

_Sold?!_ "…Sold?!" Irma was now at more shock.

"Yes, sold." Kadma sighed. "I needed money for the orphanage. I couldn't continue this way."

"The hell you would!" Irma shot herself up. "So this is why you live in such luxury! Having your limos, your chauffeurs, all the jewels and satins and all those rare plants, the walls of glass, the servants, the… the…" She hadn't the strength to move on.

"Yes." Kadma whispered. "But can you hear me?" When Irma nodded numbly, she continued: "I indeed rebuilt the 'Stars' with the charities of Gozaburo Kaiba. The reason why _I _have so many money, is truly other. You see, those two boys – Seto and his brother Mokuba – came at the worst time they could, right after the earthquake. They were told that no one of their existing relatives wanted them. The truth was other. You see, the court didn't allow to their remaining family to take them."

Irma felt her lower lip tremble. "W-What? Why?" She stuttered, while a cold was taking over her body.

"It was difficult to allow an old man, who already had a little kid to take care, the ceremony of two other so young children. They were actual battles at the court. But they wouldn't let the old man to take the boys. He was their grandfather, but they still wouldn't allow him even to see them."

Irma felt her chest burning. They had a relative that cared, and they didn't know it. Their grandfather could be dead by then…

Kadma continued, with a lump at her throat: "The man was Halinor's father. The kid he was already taking care of was Halinor's. The other children were the kids of Halinor's sister, Helena."

Irma felt her heart stop. But that was nothing to what followed:

"The name of the man is Solomon Moto."

Irma toppled. Numbness, dizziness, took over her whole form. Kadma held her and helped her sit.

"Do you have any questions solved?" She asked the brunette girl in front of her soothingly. "Wake up, water guardian, because I have other things to tell you too."

"Do I need to know?" Irma whined. "Yes I do."

Kadma took another deep breath: "After they came… well… I confess that I neglected all the kids, giving them a hard time, but I was only trying to make things better… I persuaded Gozaburo Kaiba to come. You know he took an interest on Seto. I knew I shouldn't have let him do this, that I shouldn't have let Gozaburo take him… But I knew that if I didn't he could crash in one hour what took Halinor and I all my lives. So I tried to play it clever… And I won. Except for the money, he gave me stocks to Kaiba Corp. That's why you see me so wealthy right now."

Irma nodded in weak understanding. "And Solomon?"

Kadma smiled bitterly. "I told Solomon everything. He knew… And you know what the old fox did?" Kadma chuckled. "He made a fake card of the Fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon! I had told him that Seto was occupying with Duel Monsters and his dream was to get that card so… Can you imagine? The conniving old wolf! He waited for the right time, and then he told his grandson about the card, sure that he'd told to his friends, and all the kids in class would listen. My God, I admit that the man has guts!"

"Wait-a-minute-wait-a-minute-wait-a-minute! You mean that the card Seto tore in half was a fake one? Nothing of importance?" Irma asked wide-eyed.

"Very much, indeed." Kadma smiled. "The Fourth Blue Eyes Pegasus never sold. But he never used it, as well. You see, the Fourth Blue Eyes isn't like all the others. It has incredible power; it's an almost totally different one. Solomon used the fake one to see Seto and Mokuba once again. Needless to say, he was heart-broken. But hope dies last, doesn't it?"

Irma wasn't listening. Her mind had stuck at other words:

"_The Fourth Blue Eyes Pegasus never sold."_

"_The Fourth Blue Eyes isn't like all the others."_

"_It has incredible power; it's an almost totally different one." _

Blue Eyes Shining Dragon

"Well, I told you everything you need to know." Kadma concluded, and stood up. She took the tape recorder she had previously placed at the table and handed it to Irma. "Here. Make this tape. My confession. I can't go and face them, so erase your words and give mine. Will you do it?" Kadma's gaze was almost pleading.

"I will, I will…" Irma nodded numbly. Then she broke: "How the hell am I supposed to give this to him??"

Kadma said nothing and turned around, leaving Irma frozen at the spot while she was walking away.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"…Any ideas about the… why?" Tea whispered hesitantly.

"Many." Seto answered simply. "And none of them is good." He took a sip from his Pepsi. The others were too busy rotting at the couch, swallowing popcorns and watching the horror movie in Duke's big TV screen.

"The first who creates a mess on the floor or on the couch in MY house cleans up!" Duke had stated when they walked in.

"Yeah, like it's you who does the cleaning!" Had earned the answer from Tristan. Anyways, now they were all too absorbed by the movie to say anything, or notice Tea and Seto talking. Seto knew he shouldn't keep a secret from Tea. After all, she was the one who was repentantly saving him.

"I phoned her, she's not at her house." Tea said worryingly. "She doesn't answer her cell-phone either. Do you think she left Domino?"

Seto shot up from the armchair. "No. She hasn't. She can't have done this." He was rigid as a board. Why wouldn't his mind comprehend the meaning of that sentence? That he wouldn't see her again… She had understood! How could he think she would remain at her place? She was gone! "Excuse me." He just stated, grabbed his white trench coat and disappeared into the night outside.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Seto was walking like someone was after him, but he wasn't sure. It was the kind of the walk someone does when they walk in the dark and they hear something weird moving behind. He himself _was_ walking in the dark, but that something was waiting right in front of him. He had to find Irma, he couldn't forget about her, how good her kiss felt and how much he wanted to be with her, to talk to her, to see her, heck, even to smell her very essence! And… he would see what he'd do afterwards. Right now, he just couldn't lose her…

He wasn't looking where he was going. Thus, he didn't noticed how thick the fog was created around him in that alley, or the shadow behind him.

The attack happened in a blink of the eyes. Seto stumbled forwards, and then he fell at his knees, gritting his teeth so as not to scream. Everything had happened so fast… He fell face down, right on the dirt of the road in front. Everything being a blur, he just felt some hands flipping him over, and grabbing his shoulders. From where… so much fog… it wasn't natural.

He felt the hands shaking him, but it was too dark to focus… He managed that after a couple of seconds. His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to shout.

Phobos slapped a quick hand over his victim's mouth. Although who could hear them there? He always chose carefully the places to attack. Seto tried to bit him, but the other's hand was incredibly strong. He struggled to free himself, but Phobos just smirked and held him easily pinned down.

"I assume you have some questions… or not?" Phobos grinned evilly. Seto shot him one of his worst glares. How dared that book-seller to…

"I take that for a yes." Phobos nodded. "Well… how long do you think it'll take the water-guardian to come and rescue you? I'm sorry I have to do this." Phobos brushed some chestnut bangs away from Seto's forehead with a smirk, an act of mockery towards Seto's beauty. "But you see, I need her power."

It surely didn't take long to Seto to put the pieces together. Phobos wanted Irma, and his intentions weren't the purest of all. He felt his blood boil. Well, if that creep thought that he could have him sit there as docile as a dog, he was sadly mistaken. Seto smirked under Phobos hand, and with a well aimed kick, he sent the other flying away.

"I'm sorry for disappointing you." He stated scoffing, while he was standing up and whipping the dust from his clothes off. "But I don't think that picking on me was the brightest choice to make."

Phobos was clutching his stomach, trying to grasp what had happened. So, this mortal was thinking he could take him down? _Him?_ The King of Infinity? He smirked. He would teach this mortal a rather important lesson. Well, he could always waste some of his backlog of powers he was gathering all this time, to play with him a little. When the water-guardian would come, he would take them ten times back.

Without any warning, he let a lightning of power flow from his hands, and hit right into Seto's chest. He watched with amusement the tall body of the brunette falling backwards like an inanimate doll, and meeting the cement pavement with a thud.

Like the snake that wants to examine the damage it had caused at his victim, Phobos walked slowly towards Seto's body, until he was right above him. He kneeled, to see the brunette's face more clearly. Seto's deep blue eyes were dull and unfocused, and his breath was coming in low, ragged pants. Phobos placed his hand onto Seto's forehead, and told him with a fake sadness: "I told you I was sorry… didn't I?" Then he laughed.

Nothing was registering into Seto's head. After the lightning and the pain, nothing. No colors, no voices, no sounds, no… It was so… it had reminded him so much of when…

The first trying of speaking came through a grunt.

"I' m sorry, I didn't hear you." Phobos scoffed. "Would you mind to repeat?" And then he laughed again.

Seto's eyes narrowed with an angry gleam. _You want me to repeat it? I will repeat it for you!_ But all of his anger was magically disappeared when he whispered that word, that blessed word, her blessed name, the name of his guardian that would stay forever in his lips…

"Kisara…"

Phobos didn't know what hit him either. The roar of the Blue Eyes White Dragon though, left no room for misunderstandings, later on. He barely managed to create a shield for himself.

Seto felt the Blue Eye's light refreshing him, erasing the pain. He got himself up at his elbows. Damn, after all the fights and the warriors, he and his Blue Eyes would still be inseparable. Nobody else…

"Seto!!" He suddenly heard. And then, he saw Yugi, Joey and Mai running towards him. "What happened? How did you summon the Blue Eyes without a Duel Disk?" Yugi was the one that spoke, the shock evidence all too distinct in his voice.

"I'll tell you how _I_ will summon it!" Mai got her Duel Disk at hand. "Time to clear the place up from snakes. Shoo, reptile!" She smirked, as she was summoning her Harpy Lady. Yugi and Joey summoned their Dark Magician and Flame Swordsman to help, while Joey was kneeling next to Seto.

"Are you okay? Did that bastard hit you? What happened?" He asked as he was trying to get Seto up at his feet, by seizing him from the shoulders. Seto shoved him away and got up by himself.

"I don't need you to baby-sit me!" He scolded at the blond. "How did you come here, anyway?"

"Tea told us you left. We counted the minutes to what time it'd take you to get in trouble again!" Joey answered, irritated. He couldn't understand why Seto had to be such a jackass sometimes!

From the other part of the current battlefield, Phobos had started to get tired. It was a good thing he had just found another source of pure and powerful magic, but he couldn't waste all of his powers to _them._ But… in the other hand, why not? He would kill them and take _their_ powers instead of the guardians. He swore under his breath, how on fucking hell had the water-guardian found them? What a favor she made him…

_Ok, no more games._ He thought deviously. He was purposely playing the weak. Until then. Hurling an enormous dark magic power blast away, like he did with Seto, but in a much greater extent, he enjoyed seeing their monsters crying out at pain, and then disappear into thin air. Their owners fell right at the ground, both shocked and hurt by their faithful servant's defeat. Last went the Blue Eyes White Dragon, with a mournful roar, making Seto ache inside.

Phobos walked coolly towards them, surveying his victory, until he reached Mai's collapsed beautiful form. He kneeled, and buried his hands into her blond locks, lifting her from the back of her head. "What a gorgeous girl. Don't you agree? Tch, tch, too bad…" He mocked, and his hand glowed.

"NO! No freak, don't you touch her!!" Joey screamed, but Phobos pretended he didn't hear. His hand glowed for a little more, and then he let Mai's head fall soullessly at the ground. He felt the warmth of her power running through his veins, through his very blood. He shivered and smiled an evil smile at the delight. _Yes!!_

Then, he honored Joey with a gaze. The blond boy was still trying to get at his feet, in spite of the pain. Phobos rolled his eyes, when would they learn?

He approached him, and Joey hissed. He had to get Mai, he couldn't lose Mai, if that bastard had touched her, if he had harmed her he vowed that… _No, Mai!_ He felt hot tears itching to get outside his eyes.

"Did you say something before?" Phobos scoffed, and placed his hand at Joey's forehead, under his golden bangs. "Too late, boy." He almost whispered.

Some moments afterwards, Joey felt his eyelids going heavy. His eyes fell slowly shut, hiding the chocolate orbs behind them. Phobos almost cried out his victory and the added delight. Yes, it was so much power… and he still had plenty to get.

He felt where the most power was coming from, and smirked. He moved towards the short boy with the crimson eyes, and placed his hand above the boy's chest. Yugi shuddered visibly, but Phobos could feel it. It was right there. The source of the ultimate power was right there! His hand glowed once again, and this time, he closed his eyes and allowed himself a deep sigh. The last thing Yugi heard before his own system blocked out was his own involuntary whimper.

Seto remained as he was, just staring blankly at the stars adorning the black sky above, looking like diamonds. He couldn't think. It was the best not to think. His mind had shut down, refusing to take any more information about what was going on around him. He didn't want to know. It would be less painful if he just ignored it…

A human frame suddenly covered his sight. His enemy's frame. He didn't care.

"Just for information, I don't need your power. I could let you here." He heard the other's voice saying. Unnecessary, completely unnecessary. "But I'll take it anyway. It's the equally as powerful as the previous boy's was… And, it'll cost the water-guardian. Plus, an enemy less for me." His enemy chuckled.

Seto let his head fell on the side, and then he felt a cold hand above his neck. Did he want to see the deathly glow? No. He took a deeper sigh that the usual, clearing his thoughts, and closed his eyes. He felt the same hand caressing his cheek with its thumb. Mocking. Seto unconsciously frowned. At least, could he see her one last time…

"I made a mistake once, I'm not gonna make it twice!!"

Was that her voice? Seto forced himself to open his eyes. Was that her real form? Brown hair… her eyes?

"Come forth, my fourth _Blue Eyes Shining Dragon_!!" The light erupted, it cascaded down her features, it revealed her eyes, those sea-green jewels and their uncountable value, it meant so much for him…

He let his own sapphires close with the ghost of a real smile in his face.

"Leave them alone, Phobos, or I'll unleash my Dragon and its power exactly at your dick-head!" Irma yelled at him furious, glaring. She hadn't time to worry about the other four; she had to defeat Phobos first. The Blue Eyes Shining roared above her.

Phobos smirked superiorly. "I already defeated the other four. They bit the dust by now… And I took all of their powers! I will crush you like a warm, water-guardian!" He laughed, but his laugh froze at the middle.

The Blue Eyes Shining hadn't waste time. "_Shining Nova!_" Irma had yelled, and he felt all the powers he had gathered just a few minutes ago, abandon him. Irma didn't smirk, but her gaze was so cold… "Fool. You took their deck powers. They don't have magic inside them, Phobos. Their decks had, and the Blue Eyes Shining destroyed your newfound power in a sec. In other words: You have nothing left anymore."

Phobos cursed under his breath. He couldn't continue this; he couldn't let this go on. He had to go, and so he did. As he was disappearing into the shadows, he shouted at Irma: "Tell Will… that I'll be waiting for her! Tell her she can't escape…" Phobos silver eyes glowed, and a low whisper escaped him: "Tell her she'll be mine." And with that, he was gone.

Irma didn't have the time to spit at the spot he had disappeared. The reality hit her with tons of guilt. She ran, shaking, towards Seto's form. She kneeled, and cupped his face into her hands. "Seto… Seto, wake up!" She whispered, but there would be no reaction of him, nothing. "Wake up, please!" She shook his head. Nothing. "Seto, please…" Nothing.

She lost it. "Arrogant bastard, wake up, you can't be gone, you can't!! You can't do this to me!!" He shook him even more violently. "Wake up…" The tears started to trail off her eyes, falling on his face. "Seto, I'm so, so sorry, honey please wake up!" She sobbed. "I shouldn't have let this happen to you… please, forgive me, wake up…" Her fingers entangled themselves into his brown locks, desperately, searching for any sign, begging him to come back.

"Come back to me… I love you."

It felt so right saying this! She buried Seto's face in the crook of her neck, into her hair. Taking deep breaths from the unique odor of his skin, kissing his neck, cheek and forehead tenderly.

"I love you…" She said again, and the wind stole her words away.

**A/N: **Hi hi! A cliffie! Come on people, I have the right to put one… Do you want Seto dead or alive at the next update, vote people! REVIEW ME! Thanks! ;)


	17. Reveal Yourself

A/N: Oh how I wish/ for soothing rain/ all I wish is to dream again/ my loving heart/ lost in the dark/ for hope I'd give my e

**A/N: **Oh how I wish/ for soothing rain/ all I wish is to dream again/ my loving heart/ lost in the dark/ for hope I'd give my everything/ Oh how I wish/ for soothing rain/ all I wish is to dream again/ once and for all/ and all for once…

Nemo my name for evermore…

Walk the dark path/ sleep with angels/ call the past for help/ touch me with your love/ and reveal to me my true name…

Nemo my name for evermore…

**Song:** Nemo **Artist:** Nightwish

It rocks, people, and it suits us!

Chapter 17: Reveal Yourself

Irma held Seto's unmoving body more tightly in her arms. How much time had passed since Phobos disappeared? Half an hour? A whole hour? She didn't care. She stayed still, holding Seto and crooning words she didn't know in a rhythm she couldn't feel. She cupped his cheek, and gently caressed it. Why? Why did things have to turn this way? He was so beautiful… She couldn't even think that now, in a few days, the face she had so much yelled at, the face with that irresistible smirk, the sapphire orbs, the chocolate hair, the face of Seto Kaiba, would decompose and leave itself food to the warms.

She fought back a sob, no she couldn't feel this way, and she shouldn't… But she wanted him back, it was so unfair! For once again, her tears fell on his face, moistening it.

And then he groaned.

"Stop the waterworks, Lair, it's not like I'm dead or something! Instead of crying like a baby, why don't you call the other idiots for help?" He scolded at her, his sapphire glare coming back in full force.

She choked, and almost fell behind. H-Had he… Had he just…

"Son of a bitch!!" She screamed, and then she hugged him and started kissing his face thirstily, like he would disappear in from of her eyes. Avoiding his lips, of course - thing that wasn't easy. And, leaving him startled beyond belief.

"W-What… Lair… Lair get off!" The order was half-heartedly said. "You're doing like I came back from the dead!"

"Well, didn't you?" She raised an eyebrow before starting hugging and kissing him again. "My God, you scared me so much! Son of a bitch, never do that again, you hear me?" Her face was literally beaming from happiness.

But now it was his turn to raise an eyebrow. "I'm awake for the past ten minutes, the reason I didn't get up was because your crooning was relaxing… You never checked my pulse, didn't you." His expression remained the same.

Boom! "I…I… FUCK!" Irma fumed at herself. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I not check his pulse! I got the scare of my life for nothing! Fuck!_ Was the only she could think of. _And he was warm all along! He scared me shitless for nothing!!_

"How are the others?" He asked, pretending nothing had happened. Inside, he was dancing twist. _She was worried about me, she was worried about me, she was…_

"Uh… at the same situation…I guess…" _Fuck, I didn't even spare them a glance! _Irma realized with horror. What was he? What was she?

Oh yes: truly, madly, deeply, in bleeding love with Seto Kaiba. Fuck, why him?

Seto preferred to hide his astounded look. Was she really that sad about him? Did she really care about him that much? What was going on, at last…

He checked the others pulses. Mai's was the weakest. Ok, no need to panic… "Call the others. Yugi and Joey will be fine, but there's a possibility Mai will got it harder. Do you have any friends (other than journalists and booksellers) that are good doctors? We need people to trust…"

She growled, and he bit his tongue at the gaff. "You're a _vet!_" He correctly justified himself.

"I don't stop being a fucking doctor!"

"Yes, if it would be a tiger in your arms, you'd check its pulse, but you didn't bother to check mine!" He bit out and she flushed brightly red.

"I had panicked! I didn't know what to do, I was…"

"Just call the others, ok?" He interrupted her; he didn't want to hear it. "We'll talk." He lowered his eyes.

From all of this God-forsaken night, nothing had petrified Irma as much as the three last damned words.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"It's ok, they're all awake now. They want to talk." Duke said in a low voice, like there were people ready to die in there. He, Seto, Tea, Irma and Tristan had carried Yugi, Joey and Mai at his place, and in their panic, had covered them with blankets and put them pledgets in their foreheads, like they had caught a cold. Though Seto certainly scoffed at that, Tea protested that it'd be better if they were comfortable. Irma didn't leave Mai's side all night long. It was her fault her friends were at all this trouble. But she wanted just to dance and sing, for Seto was alive and well!

By the morning, Yugi and Joey had woken up, and Mai was in no danger. Joey had immediately bolted to Mai's side, and, as soon as Irma assured him she was gonna be okay, she got tired up to get some coffee. Watching Mai, she hadn't slept at all.

That was when Duke said her that. Now he was at the phase: Screw everybody else, as long as my friends are all right! He didn't go to work, and his house resembled a war zone, but he didn't care. Tristan was running like a horse in a race to get, and fix, and buy, everything needed, Tea was cooking and watching and soothing the 'patients' when it was necessary, Irma was helping her, and Seto was sitting on an armchair contemplating. No one asked him to do a thing, and that hurt a bit. But he decided to just ignore things for a while.

After Joey was in Mai's room for thirty minutes, they heard talking. It was truly relieving for them to see Mai's elegant purple eyes open once again. Joey was almost ready to cry. After this, there would be no more postponements.

They all walked in and hugged her, like they would lose her again. She smiled, and even gave Yugi a peck on the cheek, making him blush gloriously. Those people meant everything for her… Funny, she hundred percent didn't expect that when she first met them at that ship…

When Yugi got up, he managed to suppress the blush, and, quite surprisingly, it was he who asked, and not Seto. "Irma… Don't you have any explanations to do at this point?"

Irma's eyes widened, she didn't expect that from Yugi. But now, two pairs of blue, two pairs of purple, two pairs of brown and one pair of green eyes were set right at her. For first, this group had many colors in eyes. For second… she was screwed.

"Uh…um…you see…"

"She doesn't have to." Seto cut her off in a sharp tone, making her jump. "I have all the information about her."

Irma chuckled. "I don't think you can…"

"One group of girls. Five girls. With magical powers. Controlling the natural elements." Seto interrupted her again, smirking. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish. "Am I right? It was at the Interpol's files." Bullshit, but oh well… let's _assume._

"Well… uh, yes…"

"So, if you had those powers, you must have had some enemies. Like the one we met."

Irma lowered her head. "Yes. Phobos. We thought we had defeated him, but now he came back. He absorbs memories, feelings, and powers… He saw me at the Ball, so he tracked me down, and since he saw you, he preferred taking the easy rote, as always. Threatening me through you. He absorbed your deck powers and he thought he could defeat me, but…"

Seto gave her a half smile. "But you had something better than him. Something given to you." Seto was choosing his words carefully. The truth? He hadn't any information at all. _She_ did. _She _would tell them. And, he would make her do so, without even realizing it. Socrates method.

Irma lifted her gaze. So, he knew it all. She looked at him dead in the eyes. To the hell of it all. If he knew, nothing mattered. She had underestimated him, well… consequences. "Yes. The fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon card. The Blue Eyes Shining Dragon."

That, elicited the gasps and the I-can't-believe-this from their audience, as and Seto's absolute shock. So it wasn't a dream. He had really heard her saying those words, summoning that light. He narrowed his eyes, in an attempt not to show anything of his inner turmoil. Under his glare, Irma felt the blood in her veins running cold. Gods, he… he hated her!

"That can't be true! We saw Moneybags tearing that card apart!" Joey protested. "It belonged to Yugi's grandpa…"

"It was fake." Irma interrupted him harshly. Yugi choked.

"F-Fake? But…" He couldn't continue. Irma was looking the one time at Seto's eyes and the other at the floor, rubbing her neck nervously. His eyes were cold, and never stopped glaring. And as far as Seto was concerned, he was very pleased to find that the mask he used for so many years had covered things up even this time.

"From who you got it, you didn't tell us. Shall I guess? My guesses come usually true…" He pressured her more, leaving evidence that he knew in his voice. Well he did have a suspicion…

"Pegasus, okay?" She cracked. "Pegasus! He gave it to me to help you with Gozaburo! And if I had drew it in our duel, everything would have end much less painfully, which was my original plan, but it just, didn't came…" She wouldn't cry in front of him, no, no, never cry in front of him! No!

Even Seto allowed his jaw to fall on the floor. "He knew…?"

"No, not exactly…" She shook her head. "He didn't know what we'd confront. He couldn't see."

Seto huffed. He didn't think he wanted to know how Pegasus 'saw' things at his computer. Apparently, there were some data of Industrial Illusions left inside the software of Kaiba Corp. from the Duelist Kingdom. Kicking Pegasus out was the first thing he would do after questioning Irma. So he confined himself with: "Fine. See Yugi, that heart of the cards thing is a load of bullshit."

"What?! Kaiba, for the last time…" When Yugi saw Seto's face, stopped. "Whatever makes you happy…" He muttered.

Seto turned and looked at Irma, who had once again lowered her head. Using his thumb, he tilted her head up so they were both gazing at each other's eyes. His were now soft and sad, and hers were shimmering. _Absolutely beautiful._ They both thought, before Seto asked: "Why?" Forgetting all the mind games and the questioning.

"Does the name Kadma ring a bell to you?"

He seemed startled. "My old orphanage headmistress? Do I owe any fees?" He half mocked.

"I'd tell you off now, but… have a sit." She took his arm and gave him a stern look, leading him towards the nearby chair.

"What? I don't want to…" He raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me, it much better when you're sitting." She reassured him, took the tape recorder that Kadma had given her out of her purse, which she had previously threw at Mai's bed, and pressed play. "You want the truth? Here it is."

Ten Minutes Later

"Water! Tristan get me water, he's turning blue!" Tea shouted at a frantic way.

"Gee, I didn't know that someone can turn blue from shock!" Tristan counterattacked.

"Cut the smart-ass comments! He needs water I'm telling you! From the fridge! Iced!"

Well, Seto definitely needed it. He was clutching the arms of the chair for dear life, trying, and failing, to stop the trembling. His blue eyes were shooting glances everywhere, not concentrating at nothing, and his breath was coming at irregular gasps. Had he not been sat down, he would have surely crumbled. Yugi, on the other hand, was just standing where he was, frozen like a sculpture.

When Tea got him the water, he swallowed it like he had to drink for days. It helped him a little. Reduced the trembling. When he finished, he just continued clutching the cold glass at his hands, right on his lap.

Irma was too busy entangling her fingers together, and looking at them intensely. "Kadma was an old guardian… She'd helped us many times before… it was a favor…kinda." She said nervously.

"Oh my God…" Seto responded with this groan. Then, he buried his face at his hands, and bent forwards, clutching some of his chestnut bangs at the same time. Screw the magical bullshit; he didn't care to know Irma and Kadma's relationship. In fact, he didn't care about anything at this point. "I had a grandfather… and I gave him a heart-attack!! I can't believe this!" He groaned again and bent backwards, shaking his head inside his hands. "I can't believe this…" He continued repeating.

And then, Yugi smiled. "Why had, Seto? You still have. And a cousin for that matter." Yes, this was the right way. The way things were supposed to be. Seto lifted his gaze, to meet Yugi's purple, and happy eyes. Yugi closed them approvingly, with his sweetest smile. In no time, they found themselves into each other's arms, a family hug.

Who could expect that his long time rival, the one he wanted so much to crush down, just some months ago, was his only remaining family, except Mokuba? A kid from his class… And the old man he had met at the game shop… the constant rejection, with which he used to grace them… How come he didn't suspect anything? Yugi looked like Mokuba. They were both… well, short, with purple eyes and black hair. (If Yugi's blond and red locks were real, he would swallow his laptop) There were indeed similarities. He'd do DNA test, of course…

"Welcome back, cousin." Yugi told with effort, Seto was too strong for him and so was his hug, but happily nonetheless. He was ready to cry from commotion. Seto didn't say anything, just held himself there, eyes tightly closed. That, until Yugi said: "You see, I had suspected something, because do you remember in ancient Egypt that our former selves were cousins? So…"

Seto left him and, being shorter, he bumped onto the floor.

"What? What did I say?" Yugi protested while he was standing up, and Seto was leaving the room fuming, all the others snickering. They walked into the living room, and sat happily at the couches. The news had completely refreshed them, and helped them forget their recent adventure.

"Well, I think you should call Mokuba. Do you imagine how happy this will make him?" Tristan commented, after a while of chatting. Seto nodded.

"He's returning tomorrow… today. I'll call him now…" Seto hadn't managed to complete his sentence and take out his cell phone, and the doorbell rang.

"Hey, it's still too early! Who can it be…? Don't tell me." Duke opened the door, and he was greeted with a sight he'd never thought he would face.

"Hey Duke, guys…Nii-sama, I knew you'd be there! You'd it written in your notebook, left open at your desk…" Mokuba walked in… or, at least, someone who somewhat looked like Mokuba. The long hair totally gone, black tight jeans, and a loose purple shirt were completing the younger Kaiba's look. He was sixteen – and, honestly now he did look his age.

Seto smiled, he knew. He was glad that his baby brother had grown up and learnt to take care of himself. Okay, he was watching him over all this time, but he didn't need to do anything. Still, it felt really good that Mokuba hadn't forgotten his old habits and ran to hug his older brother once again. Many hugs today…

"No matter how much I'll grow up…" Mokuba shyly justified himself. "So? Any news?" He looked at the others, and shrugged carelessly.

"The hell they are…" Joey commented, and they proceeded to explain.

When they finished, all Mokuba could say was: "Wow."

A Week Later

"Serenity is getting married! Serenity is getting married!" Joey stormed into the Kaiba Mansion, where they were all supposed to meet half an hour ago, in a completely frustrated situation.

Seto looked at Irma, who gave him a smug look. "Okay! I admit this was a good reason for him to be late!" Seto snapped.

"Joey these are wonderful news, congrats…" Tea was about to say, but she was interrupted by the blond boy's scream:

"She's eighteen DAMN IT! If I find the bastard that seduced her, I'll crush his head with a hammer!" Joey's eyes resembled a bull's ones. Seto was sure that in no time, steam would come from his ears and nostrils. He mentally noted to stop calling him a mutt… At least not when he was at a situation like that.

"Whoa, Joey, that's violent a little…" Yugi tried to calm him down. "Maybe if you'd give him a chance… Serenity is a clever girl, I'm sure she'll have pick a decent guy…"

"Ooooh, I knew it, I should have known this, I shouldn't have let her go to France alone…" Joey mourned. "Only God knows what she'll bring me as a brother in law… _I'll never allow it_!" He finally roared.

That was it; Joey had started giving Seto a headache. Sooner that usual. Erase the former note. "Sit down, mutt!" Seto stood up at an equally infuriated temper. "Stop doing like a baby, and accept your adult sister's choice! You haven't met the guy yet, so it's not currently at your rights to have an opinion!"

"But…" Joey was about to protest…

"_Silence_!" Seto ordered, and if Joey had a death wish, he could chose not to obey. "I know that an eighteen year old girl getting married is suspicious, but remember that Serenity was brave enough to dive and save your ass back at Battle City! She was blind for what, a year? And she didn't give up. I think she's perfectly capable of handling her life at this point. So stop whining and accept her decision, and don't spoil something that it was supposed to make her happy!"

Joey just looked at him, unable to say anything. For a while. "I worry about her. I don't want her to get hurt…" He finally whispered.

"We know, hon." Mai came and gave him a hug, smiling sweetly. "We'll be at both of your sides." She reassured him, eliciting a smile from him as well.

"Thanks, Mai." He told her, looking at her with uncountable warmth. "Uh, anyway…" He turned to the others. "Serenity and her future fiancé will come the next Saturday, for the engagement… and, for us to meet the groom. I should take them out…"

"Pfeh." Mokuba cut him off with a grin. "That, leave it to us, Joe." And he pointed at Seto and himself. "We'll take you to the best restaurant ever!" Seto smirked. "All for Serenity!"

"What? No, I can't accept…"

"Don't think it's a charity, you mutt." Seto interrupted him glaring. "It's our engagement gift. There won't be other."

"I never said that!" Joey glared at him as well. When they finished their glare-competition (guess who won, as always), Joey turned to Irma: "Oh, and Serenity said that they have a surprise for you…"

"A surprise for me?" Irma laughed and rubbed pretending the uneasy one the back of her neck. "I got a lot of surprises recently I don't think I should get another one what did she bought me?" She changed style within a breath. She hadn't forgotten the dress.

But then, Seto smirked in a way it made her curl up to protect herself. "Why, Lair? You are missing gifts? Coz I have something planned…" His tone was rather seducing, and his eyes were shining.

Irma gave him a mocking smirk in return. "Nice try, Kaiba. The nest time, call the 'Make a Wish'."

"Ouch. That hurt." He pouted, something that damn her, she found holly cute.

"Hey, Seto, Yugi, we'll take grandpa as well, won't we?" Mokuba intervened happily. A week ago, when all of it was revealed, Solomon had welcomed both teens with an open embrace and tearful eyes. He still preferred staying at the game shop, though.

"Of course we will!" They both answered in unison. Yugi smiled at the reminding of Seto and grandpa's reunion.

Flashback

Mokuba and Seto were standing at the door, seeing Solomon sweeping the Game Shop's floor. He hadn't seen them immediately. When he lifted his head from his housework, and finally saw them, he stopped.

"_Well, if it's not the ever famous Kaiba brothers. What do I owe the pleasure?" He said half serious, half mocking. But then his gaze softened. "Come in, kiddo." He waved at Mokuba, completely honestly this time. "Oh, but you became a man! You grew up! Where is the little kid with the long t-shirts and the mop of black hair?" He said, and he ruffled Mokuba's remaining hair, making him chuckle._

"_Thank you, Mr. Moto. I decided to leave him behind… for some time." Both Solomon and Mokuba laughed. "Well, how's your shop going?" He glanced around._

"_Oh very well… Not as well as your corporation, I'll admit, but it still works for us the humble old men…" Solomon glanced at Seto. "Your brother doesn't have to follow you everywhere, kiddo. You have nothing to fear from a tired old man. Unless of course, he searches for something." Solomon glared at Seto, who returned with a cold stare. Mokuba looked at his brother sadly. "You'll have to know, Kaiba, I don't have any more cards for you to tear apart."_

_Seto lowered his gaze, and greeted his teeth. He may have screwed up, he admitted so, but the rejection and the forgiveness that wouldn't come were telling more. He had done the DNA test with Yugi, all positive, but for what he'd done, nothing seemed to bear the most priceless consequence. Fine, his grandfather didn't want even to see him; he could do without. Like he was always doing in his life. He didn't need anyone._

_He vaguely heard Mokuba asking: "Mr. Moto, what do you know about a girl named Helena?"_

_Solomon's body grew rigid. "What do you know about Helena, Mokuba?"_

_Mokuba swallowed hard. "She was… she was our mother." He finally managed to confess, after moments of hesitation. "Please, Mr. Moto… what do you know about her? … About us?" _

_Solomon let the push broom fall onto the floor with a loud clank. He was trembling. Mokuba ran and got him a chair to sit down and a glass of water to drink. "That's not for men in my age…" He mumbled, drinking. "So sensitive areas, so heartfelt events… Thank you, son. Grandson." Solomon hugged Mokuba tightly, both of them in the edge of tears. "I had lost every hope for you… Mostly for your brother."_

_Seto stood silently aside. What could he tell? At least, Mokuba was happy… That, until Solomon approached him. He had a bitter smile in face. "I have indeed some cards for tearing… If that makes you come here." _

_Seto's eyes widened. "And that means…" _

"_Oh, come here boy!" Solomon hugged Seto as well, leaving him stunned. "I would have taken both of you, but those bastards at the court preferred to plug their ears with wax… Not to mention your stepfather."_

_Seto stood motionless. He wouldn't be surprised if Gozaburo had threatened Solomon not to even talk to them. So he could seal them in his world. So there wouldn't be a mere possibility he'd lose the boy…him. He shook slightly, preferring not to think furthermore. "I'm…" He wanted to say, but the 'sorry' wouldn't come out._

_But Solomon nodded. "I know. I am too. It's okay, Seto."_

"_Even for… the hospital incident?" Seto asked shyly._

"_Pfeh, like you are the first or the last teenager who sent his grandfather to the hospital!"_

_End of Flashback_

"Ha, ha… And he really said that?" Irma just wouldn't stop laughing.

"If you could just stop please, it's not funny!" Seto growled. "I gave the man a heart attack!"

"That didn't bother you before! In life, tables turn, Seto Kaiba. Live with it." She replied, and bent to catch a pebble buried into the sand. The both of them had left Kaiba Mansion and the chatting about Serenity's marriage three hours ago, only to go for a stroll at the beach. They had passed the most of their time talking about random stuff, while they were walking along the coast. Irma was scanning for nice pebbles, which afterwards she threw in the waves.

"Oh, I know that very well. I taught Gozaburo that lesson, remember?" He smirked at the reminding of that blessed day, when he took over Kaiba Corp. He had hurt Mokuba to do it. Well, no one said that the world was fair and wonderful.

"It's somewhat difficult to forget…" She smiled at him sadly. "Did he tell you what he wanted from you, at the end?"

"Yes." Seto frowned at the sea. "That even he didn't know." He knew that Gozaburo was still there, somewhere outside their lives for the time being. But they hadn't destroyed him yet. He had to find a way soon…

"Well…" Irma pouted. That could be either good, or bad news. Bad in the way the man was a complete psycho. But that was already established. Good in the way he _might_ felt something good towards Seto. They could use such a powerful backup for the times to come… Her eyes sparkled. _Power…_ "You know, you were just unlucky." She decided they had already talked a lot about him. She let her gaze fell on the waves and their constant dance around the rocks. "My mum died when I was a baby. After some years, my dad married another woman, and they gave me a little, halfblooded brother, Christopher. I can honestly say that this woman, Anna, was always beside me, and she supported me and loved like my real mum. I feel her as my mother."

"I knew you had a stepmother." He whispered, and passed his hand between her brown locks, making her freeze. Still, he didn't withdraw his hand. "It's good to know that things like that work well for some people… Showing that the world isn't as helpless as it's believed."

His hand cupped the crook of her neck, passed around her shoulders. Irma placed hers above his and clutched it, not willing at all to let it go. She closed her eyes at the warmth of his skin. "The world is never helpless, Seto. You always find someone to love and to love you back. Whoever you are, whatever you've done… You always do."

Seto wanted to say 'What an optimistic attitude', but when he thought well about that, he preferred to stay silent. She was right, in a rather strange way, but right nonetheless.

They walked like that for some minutes, till they reached the huge rocks at the end of the beach. One of them was rather smooth and spacious. Seto raised an eyebrow at Irma, and she responded by pressing her body closer to his, giving away a sweet smile. They laid backwards themselves onto it, their bodies the one beside the other. They closed their eyes, hearing only the soft sound of the waves as they were meeting the rocks and the sand, and then withdrew. Smelling the unique salty essence of the sea, feeling the cool breeze caressing their faces, moving their chestnut bangs in the meanwhile. Seto had a lot time to relax like that.

And then, he felt Irma moving beside him. He opened his deep blue eyes, a bit of disappointed, as she was probably standing up. But it was proved she was just stretching, and then she rolled on his side, letting her hand drop on his chest, above his heart, her head at the crook of his arm.

Seto felt his breath hitch. What was she doing? She wouldn't open her eyes to ask her. She rubbed her hand at his chest and he could swear his heartbeat stopped for a while. He saw her smiling, then raising her leg to leave it smoothly above his thigh. He blushed like a schoolboy. Gods, what would he do if she went on?

But she didn't. She remained there, with that smile in lips, inhaling and exhaling at a soothing rhythm. After some minutes, he let himself relax as well, and started playing with some of her brown locks, buried his fingers inside them. She answered with a soft purr, that made him give away a smirk – rather a smile. _My neko…_ He chuckled inside. _And I am hers._

Where does our heart beat, Seto? Where does it belong?

Why, where we can hear it, of course.

For that time, Irma didn't have any questions about that. Not anymore.

_My heart belongs next to yours._

**A/N: **Nemo sailing home…

Nemo letting go

He he! DONE IT! Did you honestly believe I would kill Seto off? Nuh-uh-uh! For information, I was planning to leave it with another cliffie, but well, it grew larger than I had originally planned. Well? What do you think fellows? REVIEWWWW!

Thank you! ;)


	18. Unexpected Proposition

A/N: Hello, and sooorry for the delay

**A/N: **Hello, and sooorry for the delay! Smiles with guilt but I swear, with the scorcher I'm currently experiencing, it's impossible to sit down for long: You MELT! Ok, enough with the blabbering!

Chapter 18: Unexpected Proposition

"Ren! How are you doing, hon.?? Where's the groom?"

'Romantic Idol', time 20:00. Mission: Scrutinize Serenity's fiancé. As the long expected day had finally come, the gang had gathered at the best restaurant in the city, which Mokuba had carefully selected, and had caused Mai to wink mischievously at Joey, making him blush. This was the place he had taken her for their first date. This had helped him relaxed a little, and he just watched, as Mai was running and greeting Serenity.

"I'm fine, Mai, thank you so much…" Serenity flashed a smile full of happiness. "I really don't know what to say, guys… Thank you so much for being here, it means a lot to me, more than I can express, really…"

"Heh, I guess the guys should know when they are beaten to something!" Tristan and Duke gave her their presents trying to maintain a straight face and have some fun, but they were both ready to cry their eyes out, truth be told.

"Thank God!" Joey said that with a full heart. "At least now you got rid of them… where's your… uh…" He paused nervously.

Serenity giggled. "Don't worry big bro, he went at the bathroom. I'm sure you'll really like him… Hey Irma! I see you put the dress I sent you!" She exclaimed, when she saw her sea-green eyed friend clothed at the equally sea-green colored dress she had picked for her. Irma smiled.

"Of course, that was the least I could do! I hope you're happy, girl." Irma replied honestly. That dress had earned her a Ball and a kiss with Seto. Maybe she'd get one tonight as well… _Snap the hell out of it!_ She mentally scolded to herself.

Behind her, Seto was now dressed at a black suit, with white shirt inside and red tie. He had also dressed Joey, Yugi and Tristan at a similar way. And that was because the remaining guys of the group, Duke and Mokuba, instead of the three mentioned slackers, had some fashion sense. So he had to deal with those who didn't. Needless to say, Joey's clothes were itching him, since he was used to the baggy casual ones, thus he earned plenty of 'mutt' comments. Tristan was in a pretty much similar situation, but he was honestly fighting to endure this with manliness and courage, not uttering a complaint and standing like he had a stick up to his ass – funny, an expression mostly used for Seto - twitching. Yugi said that he was feeling weird, and that was just it.

Serenity's fiancé, who had just walked in, interrupted Seto's musing. The man was of medium height, slim, with short blond hair and very light brown eyes. He was wearing glasses, which were giving him a more sophisticated style, and a gray suit, in which he looked as uncomfortable as Joey and Tristan. What Seto couldn't believe, was the scene that followed:

"Oh my God!! Martin?? Martin Tom Beaun??" Irma almost squealed, and ran towards Serenity's fiancé, who, along with Serenity, was smiling widely.

"Flesh and blood, my cookie!" Martin took Irma's hands at his own, making Seto inwardly growl, at that and at the intimate nickname. "When Serenity told me she knew you, I couldn't believe it! Ain't the world really small, at the end?" He smiled.

"Martin and I were classmates in High School." Irma proceeded to explain at the bewildered others. "Really good friends… How's work going, Martin?" She turned to him again, really happy. Serenity had absolutely nothing to worry about. Martin was a very nice kid… man, now. She silently laughed.

"Oh, you know, I'm a book publisher… Will's books are having way too much success! I'll tell you…" Martin continued talking with Irma, and with the others about random stuff. Seto leaned and whispered at Joey's ear:

"He's a bastard. Decapitate him!"

Joey fought to stifle the snicker and the smirk coming to his lips. "You're jealous." Ah, Moneybags was jealous with Irma… Ridiculous, since Martin seemed very okay and deeply in love with Serenity. Oh, that was that worried him… He would always be the overprotective big brother; Moneybags was lucky he had a male sibling. There was a better understanding…

"Please!" Seto huffed, but he didn't manage to say something else. Tea had dragged them to sit, they were standing for too long up. They kept on talking, but Seto had his mouth stubbornly shut. Friends, pfeh! Okay, they obviously didn't have something _now_, but… _cookie_?! Who the hell were they kidding, he was sure as hell they were more than that in High School! And in fact was one thing that bothered him: _Why the fuck did he care??_

"So, Martin, any news from the old gang?" Irma asked, being completely unaware of Seto's deadly intentions. (_Grabbing and kidnapping her far, far away, where he could… ghhhhhh!) _

"Oh, you know better than I do… The usual." He responded flatly. "Peter is engaged to Cornelia, Matt and his band are all over the world, Orube had this new magazine to take care of, Taranee still dances, Hay Lin is still on the planes, and Joel…"

The door of the restaurant boomed open, and a somewhat tired man stormed inside. He wore a black suit, and he had blond hair pinned up with jell, and an also small blond bear at his chin. He wore glasses, though more rounded that Martin's were, and behind them there was a pair of two light blue eyes.

"…There he is." Martin and Irma's eyes were going to bulge out of their sockets. "If that wasn't timing…"

"Martin! Irma!" The other man, Joel, exclaimed, and moved towards them. They both stood up, and Serenity was uncertain of what she should do. "I finally found you! Congratulations, man…" He shook hands with Martin and Serenity stood up as well. "Wow, you're very lucky…" Joel said and bowed to kiss the redhead's hand. Then he turned to Irma: "I was looking for you… everywhere." His eyes were holding strong emotion, and wouldn't leave her face. "I tried to get in touch with you…"

Irma gulped; this was extremely uncomfortable. She could feel two particular sapphire eyes digging holes in her back. Ok, she had told Will to give Joel her number but what… how… "…Joel? What are you doing here?" Lame, lame, lame!!

"I came for respect to my friend…" And he motioned towards Martin. "And because there's something I needed to tell you." His eyes were indicating he wasn't joking. After some moments of staring into each other's eyes, he kneeled, and took a small velvet box outside his pocket.

Irma was now feeling dizzier by each passing second. _Please, somebody, _anybody_ tell me that this is April fool's day! It _has _to be!!_ She couldn't but desperately think.

"Irma…" Joel opened the box, to reveal an emerald ring. "…Marry me."

At that, even Seto allowed his mouth to fell on the floor.

As for Irma, she was at a complete loss. How many times hadn't she dreamed that moment! How many times hadn't secretly cherished it! That, until the year before, when _it_ happened and she left Heatherfield, to come with Tea in Domino. When _it _happened, she had promised herself, not anymore! No more! And now…

A feeling of complete emptiness dreaded over her. She looked at him coldly, with two icy-stoned sea-green eyes. "Funny, you say you came for Martin's engagement, and now you're stealing his thunder." Joel opened his mouth to speak, but she raised his hand, interrupting him before he had a chance to even start. "Enough, Joel. Sit down and don't talk further. We can talk about it later."

Joel numbly obeyed, and sat between Tea and Mokuba. "You're right. I'm sorry…" And he mostly looked at Martin and Serenity, who seemed worried. "I won't upset you further. I promise." And he gave a weak smile. However, he had already earned a death glare from Seto and Joey's side.

The rest of the night passed smoothly, without any other incidents. When it came to the end, Joel offered to drive Irma home. Instead of answering, she grabbed his hand and leaded him outside.

"Well, I guess we'll have a new couple in the group soon enough!" Tristan observed, making Seto wanting to smother him, a slow and painful death. _If that freaking lackey (Joel, or whatever his damned name is) thinks that he can have his way with Irma, just like that, I'll pay the mafia to annihilate him! In fact, skip that, I'll do it myself! __Irma is mi - ...!!_

Without any realization of this, his footsteps leaded him to the direction they had left. Hefound himself outside, looking expressionlessly at a rather mad Irma. And Joel wasn't going back, as well.

"You had absolutely NO right to come here and say those things tonight!" Irma was yelling at him.

"Oh yeah? And what was I supposed to? Sitting and waiting when you'd come to Heatherfield?" He retorted, at the same furious tone. "I was sick of waiting for you, don't you understand??"

"Sick of _waiting?_ That was that you were doing? _Waiting?_ All this time?" She threw back. "All this time we were together, you were _waiting?_"

"I know that…" He tried to steady himself, but she didn't plan to do him this favor.

"No you know nothing! You had your chance with me, four years ago, and you blew it!" She shouted.

"We were fucking sixteen!" Joel gritted his teeth. "How the hell was I supposed to know? And then you went and started this relationship with Steven, and there was no room for me and my feelings anymore!"

"If memory serves me correctly, you had your chance when Steven and I broke up." She huffed at him. "You know that it was _this_ that caused me leave Heatherfield, and not my father's job!" She admitted openly. "Why didn't you come _then?_"

"I tried! I fucking tried, but… you left too quickly." He lowered his head, exasperated. "We can still make this work, Irma. Trust me… I know you do." The tone of his voice was sad, but sure.

Irma's narrowed eyed lessened up the tense. "I do trust you, Joel… But that belongs to the past. You're a good friend… But I just don't like you that way. Not anymore."

The silence fell heavy between the two former lovers. Irma didn't feel anything for Joel, that was the truth. She never saw him turn around and leave. She felt nothing but cold and loneliness, until two warm and strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, coming from her back. She closed her eyes, leaning backwards into the warm offered. She knew whose it was.

"Go ahead, ask." She said to him, without opening her eyes, to be greeted by his rich and deep voice, so soft and smoothing right then…

"Ask what?" Seto held her tightly, trying to console her. She was at a mess.

"About… all of this." She didn't wait for his response: "When I was in High School, Martin had a huge crush on me. I kept pushing him away. I liked the hottie of the school, Andrew Hornbie. I tried to seduce him, and it ended up with him taking… particular advances." She sighed. "I don't say he did something extreme, but still… Then I met Joel at a rock concert. We were very much alike, but when he was called to choose, he chose his music over me. And afterwards, I met Steven, who I was together with until last year, that I decided to take my career at hand. Steven didn't like women with economical independence… or independence in general. He said awful things to me, even if we were already engaged. I could even stand to be in the same town as him, so…"

"You moved in here." Seto completed her sentence, finally understanding the brunette girl in his arms. She seemed so fragile right then… So painful. His eyes glazed over her. He was too preoccupied and trapped into his own feelings and messes, to spare a moment to understand her. Did he think that his pain was greater than hers? That it was more important? Perhaps. But that didn't make things right.

He leaned down, and planted a chaste kiss at the top of her head, making her whimper and turn around, now circling his waist with her own arms, as he had done. She snuggled close, burying her face at his chest. "You're so lucky, Seto Kaiba… So lucky for not knowing what love is. So lucky for never having loved someone."

Her words were like icy water that had cascaded down him and frozen him. What love was… Wasn't love supposed to be the greatest feeling? Wasn't love supposed to make people feel better… to make them feel complete? No, he hadn't met love… But he needed it, he needed it so badly. Wasn't love supposed to be… the absolution of the soul? The mercy?

No. Love was only a disadvantage. Dead weight for those who carried it. Hadn't he been so agonizingly taught that love was only a weakness? Under Gozaburo's rule, hadn't he been taught how dangerous love could be? For Mokuba, for Tea… for everyone. Hadn't he?

"I'll tell you what love is, Seto Kaiba." He heard Irma spit out bitterly. "Love is a disease. Destroys those who are affected by it. Like the fire spreads, like the fire dies when the wind fells down, or when it meets the waves. But sometimes, it can also survive like a diamond forms between the carbons, like the cockroaches after a nuclear holocaust. But… it's the only thing that has survived. It's _alone!_" She punched weakly at his chest. "Alone, you heard me? Alone!!" And she continued her weakened, repeated hits; her eyes squeezed shut, for the tears weren't allowed to flow.

Seto caught her wrist in a firm grip, forcing her calmly and steadily to stop. With his hand at the back of her neck, he lead her to rest her cheek at his chest, as previously, where he let her weep. Soon, sobs and hiccups reached his ears, but she was continuing keeping her face well hidden in his shirt. Still into their embrace, he used his right hand to form soothing circles at the small of her back.

She thrashed. "Stop it! I don't need you!!" She continued writhing, while he wouldn't let her go. "I don't fucking need you, I said! Not _you!_ Not someone like _you!_"

They both stilled their movements. Irma made Seto the honor to look up at him, her eyes red, puffy, and very, very shocked of what she had just said. "N-no… I didn't mean that, Seto. I really, didn't…."

"Hush. It's okay." Much to her surprise, Seto's deep, unique blue eyes were soft and sweet. He wasn't angry? But she had said something so awful! "I know that people say a lot of things that they don't mean in their anger." He paused. "Do you want me…"

"To stay. Stay!" She wrapped her arms around him once more. "Please don't leave…" _You're everything to me, can't you see that?_

She heard Seto's chuckle. "I was going to say drive you home, but that's just fine with me…"

She laughed. Uncontrollably. Yes, yes, this was the Seto Kaiba she knew and love… no matter how much she shouldn't. Slowly, she felt all of her stress evaporating. "Oh Seto… you're cute, you know?" She pointed out, at his flustered expression, when she finally managed to cease her laughter and step out of his hold.

"I can leave you walk, you know!" He huffed and turned around, only to hide the creepy red-stained cheeks of his.

"Naaah… You're too goodie in heart to do something like that to me…" She licked her lips. "But we can go to my home _after _I greet Martin and Ren for one last time…" She smirked at his shocked face. "Me inside, you until the door, in case of misunderstandings…"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He shrugged and walked past her. Irma let a final laugh before she followed him towards the restaurant. They met Martin and Serenity at the door. Once again, they shook hands and exchanged congratulations and thank you's.

"Oh, Irma, I forgot to tell you!" Martin slapped a hand over his forehead. "You learned that Will is getting married, didn't you?"

"What the crap is today?" Irma snapped. "Happy Marrying-People day? I swear, if I ever hear even ONE more word about marriages today, I'll…"

"You swear a lot." Seto cut her off, flatly stating. Both meanings included.

Irma blew at her brown locks that were adorning her forehead. "Anyway. I'm happy that Will and Matt found a way to…"

"…Matt?" Martin giggled. "Oh, you're too far behind!" He laughed at Irma's raised eyebrow. "Will is marrying another man, cookie!"

_What?! _"…Another man?" Irma swallowed with effort. "…Who?"

"Hm, I think his name is… Phobos. Yes, Phobos Di Meridian. Anyway, nice to see you guys!" Martin and Serenity waved at them and then turned around and disappeared, leaving Seto and Irma gaping behind them.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Phobos?! PHOBOS?!" Irma was screaming her lungs out in front of the live video connection at her computer's screen, where the redhead friend of hers, Will, was too preoccupied with her nails.

"Um… yes?" Will finally answered, now starting playing with her hair.

"What YES? For fuck's sake, Will, this man is an insidious snake, as I've told before! What on earth do you have in mind? Is it totally empty? Anybody there?" Irma tick-tocked her own head for emphasis.

Will's eyes narrowed dangerously, while she was standing up. "Actually, I was wondering what exactly exist in _your_ mind. We're no longer fifteen-year-old girlies, Irma, and these are no longer the times we used to fight. May I remind you why we gave up our powers?"

Irma bit her lower lip in the bitter memory. "Because we needed to have 'normal' lives. And may _I _remind you that our lives are _far_ from normal? I don't think there was really much of a choice for us, Will."

Will sighed, and held her head with three of her fingers. "Why don't you _understand, _that this is exactly what I'm trying to protect. We might have given up, but there's still inalienable magic inside of us. If Phobos absorbs this power, we'll die. Why don't you see…?"

Irma's mouth was standing wide open in absolute shock. "So this is a _bargain?_ You know that it won't last, Will. When he thinks that he has humiliated you enough, he will proceed to the rest of us!"

Will lowered her eyes. She had never felt or looked so tired, and so old as she did then. "Please… let me handle this. I'll find a way out. I know I can."

Irma shook her head sadly. "That monster came and hurt my friends. He almost killed them. There's no chance in hell that I'll let him do that again." She stated.

Will smiled bitterly. "Cornelia hates me. You remember how much she despised Phobos. She doesn't want even to see me. I can't have you hate me too, Irma." She looked up at the screen, where Irma had a really sad look in her eyes.

"I'm too far away to help you, Will."

**Connection terminated.** And Will just stared at the black, empty screen.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Tristan looked at the French key in his hand with a total exasperated expression on his face. No, all the rest of them should be upstairs, in Irma's house, conspiring and thinking about new plans, but he just _had to_ stick outside the door, he and his god-damned _outmoded_ motorcycle! Which, as usually, had broken down, leaving him at the doorway to fix it. His jeans and white shirt were full of oil stains, and gases from the exhaust, while his forehead, arm muscles and chest were swimming into sweat, making his shirt and its filth stick on him. He shot a very murderous glare at his bike, swearing through gritted teeth whatever he could think of. He didn't know how much time he was standing swearing, until he heard that female voice through giggles:

"Excuse me, sir… If you're done punishing the motorcycle, um… Could you please tell me where Irma's Lair house is?"

Tristan turned, only to come face to face with the most beautiful sight he had ever met. In front of him, was standing a Chinese girl at his age, with splendent, very long black hair upswept in a ponytail at the top of her head, reaching her middle back. She was wearing silver sandals, a short purple strapless top, and black jeans. Pearl white teeth, a small nose and two sparkling, mischievous black eyes were giving her a rather adorable face, plus the sweet smile she was currently giving him.

Tristan dropped the French key.

"Uh… um… yeah... you said… Oh, Irma's!" Tristan slapped a hand over his forehead, finally registering what the girl had asked. He laughed rather nervously, mentally beating himself. "It's here, third floor left. I was to go there as well, but…" He looked at his bike, cursing it silently this time.

"Don't tell me you're… Are you Tristan Taylor?" The girl's face lit up, and Tristan shot her a very shocked look.

"Yeah, that's exactly me… How did you…?" _Know?_ He gulped.

"Know?" The girl laughed. "Irma has talked to me about you, and… you know… your hair." She blushed and Tristan brought a hand of his at his hair, adding oil stains there as well. "The brunet with the weird hair…" She blushed even more deeply. "I'm Hay Lin!" She chirped, and proceeded to shake hands with him.

Tristan looked at his dirty hands and smiled with guilt, so Hay Lin took her hand uncomfortably back. "Uh, sorry about that…" Tristan tried to justify himself.

"No, no, I'm sorry, I should have seen that…" She hurried to reply, lowering her eyes in shame. "Uh… I'd better get going. Third floor left?"

"Third floor left." Tristan smiled.

"Thank you." She walked past him and stepped inside the building. Once he couldn't see her, she sprinted quickly towards the stairs, letting the blush cover up her cheeks and then evaporate.

At her living room, Irma was experiencing the worst headache of her life. Once again, the gang was all-together, except Tristan, and the two new-engaged, who had left for France for another time. Seto and she had informed them about the news, and Joey was currently killing her ears with his nagging. "Is your friend mental? That creep almost killed us, almost killed Mai! I say, we get there, and kick his sorry ass! What are we waiting for?" His constant babbling was basically synopsized over this. From the hard task to explain for the millionth time, Irma saved the doorbell.

"Thank God…" She muttered, to have her eyes afterwards doubled in size from what she saw. For the head that was found out there couldn't but bring a lot of trouble, no matter how happy she was that she saw it.

"Irma!" Hay Lin squeaked, and bolted to hug her friend. With her in her arms, Irma had difficulty to close the door.

"Hay Lin… Wh-what are you doing here?" Irma stammered. "Not that I'm not happy to see you…"

"Oh, you know, this and that…" Hay Lin flipped her black hair back. "And the situation is a bit explosive in Heatherfield right now… I thought it was the best for me to just get out of all this for a while…"

Seto gave her a very knowing smirk, followed by a severe frown. So, now they were afraid of Phobos. He could smell some really bad trouble coming straight ahead….

But Irma just said: "Oh… I see. Well, since you'll stay here for a while, I think it's time to know my friends. Everybody, this is Hay Lin…" The 'Hi's followed. "And Hay Lin…"

"Oh, don't tell me, I wanna guess!" Hay Lin clapped her hands. "I did it with Tristan downstairs, it worked!"

"Really? He hasn't managed to fix the motorcycle yet? Oh, I'm going to help… I'd like to see what he'd do without me, sometimes!" Duke sighed and got up, moving towards the door.

"You're Duke, right?" Hay Lin asked shyly.

He stopped at his tracks. "Yeah, how…"

"From the earrings!" She played with the dices Duke had for earrings, and he chuckled. "Now…" She continued, as he was leaving the room. "The blond boy… is Joey! Hey you're cute!" She exclaimed. Joey blushed and Mai glared at him. "The blond girl is Mai…" Mai waved. "The brunette girl is Tea…" Tea smiled. "With the spiky hair is Yugi…" Yugi nodded. "And now…" She frowned, looking at Seto and Mokuba. "You must be the Kaiba brothers. The raven haired one must me Mokuba…" Mokuba winked, and she turned to Seto. "And don't tell me you're Seto Kaiba?"

Seto smirked his best. "Flesh and blood. I see Irma has talked a great deal about us, or you just memorize well." He said as he was standing up. His tone was somewhat ironic, but not as tense as it used to be.

Hay Lin's eyes trailed up all of his straight and elegant form, to stop at the eyes. After the momentary awe in her eyes, her black pearls were narrowed mischievously. She leaned towards Irma, covering the one side of her own mouth with her hand, just for image. "Well that explains a lot…" She observed, winking.

"Tell me why you're here, again. Except for making my life miserable." Irma raised her fist and looked at Hay Lin with the I'm-screwed-and-it's-your-fault-you're-gonna-die expression.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? I'll move in with you!" Hay Lin stated ecstatically.

"What?!" Irma squeaked, her eyes resembling saucers. "I thought you were gonna find a house nearby!"

"Nah, just as I said, I'm on vacation… Why should I pay extra money? Come on Irmaaaa…" She started pleading for fun. Truth be told, Hay Lin was expecting when the fight with Phobos would start. Right then, there wasn't something they could do with him, and she didn't want to put herself into the unnecessary risk of a devious trap.

"Ok, ok! You can move in here!" Irma gave up, knowing the reasons as well. "Where's your stuff?"

"Down, at the car…" Hay Lin almost hopped up from joy.

"Hey, we'll get it for you!" Joey volunteered, and got up. "Come on, guys! Yugi, Mokuba, let's go! And Kaiba, it would be nice if you could move your ass for once."

Seto said nothing, just raised an eyebrow as we was suppressing his laughter, a task that Mai, Mokuba and Tea weren't able to bring through.

"… And come to help! Get your perverted minds out of the gutter!!" Nah, it didn't work. "Oh man! Not again!" Joey through his hands at the air from frustration and looked at the ceiling, only to cover his blush before he stepped out the door. _If this thing keeps on, I'll turn bisexual! _He thought for a moment, but then he glanced at Mai through the open door. _Nah, skip that. What guy can turn it around when Mai is near?_ He smiled.

Seto's gaze softened. Ok, maybe he had truly overdone it with the puppy… After all, wasn't he one of his best friends? If it weren't for Joey, he wouldn't be here now. He stole a glance at Irma, who was talking with Hay Lin now, then at everyone in this room. Everyone had helped, with his own specific way. They had all helped him. He silently vowed not to do such jokes to Joey again, as he was following Yugi and Mokuba outside. Wait, there was an idea…

"Hey, I have an idea!" Tea exclaimed enthusiastically. "Why don't we go to the arcade? We can show Hay Lin Domino from there, as well!"

"Yeah, that's a pretty good idea, hon." Mai agreed. "We can get my car…" She offered.

"And mine, let's go!" Hay Lin grinned, and they headed outside.

"You go, I'll wait the boys with Hay Lin's baggage, and we'll follow…" Irma waved at them, as they were starting climbing down the stairs. When they were out of sight, she closed the door and leaned into it, sighing heavily.

Downstairs, Seto had preferred to take Hay Lin's stuff all by himself. Note: There were consisting of three large suitcases, each of God knows how much weight.

"Don't be stubborn, let me help you!" Joey offered.

"I said _no!_ Shoo, mutt." Seto replied irritated. For God's sake, he had his _reasons_ for wanting to take all this garbage… err, baggage alone upstairs.

"Fine!" Joey snapped. "I wish you fell and break your neck!"

"I'm not making you this favor." Seto grunted, and started climbing the stairs up. In the middle, he hissed. "Fuck it damn it, I forgot something in the car…" And he turned around, while Joey was sneaking behind him, standing three footboards taller. "What the…" Seto was about to say, and then Joey took the suitcase on top.

"I'll carry this."

"Mutt, I said…" But then luck wasn't with Seto's side. Trying to lower himself to he next step, he tripped. The suitcases fell from his arms, and he himself started falling rapidly forward. Joey barely managed to hold him; dropping the suitcase he had grabbed and wrapping his arms around Seto's waist, catching him literally in the air.

Hearing the loud bang the suitcases were making landing, both teens cringed. But Joey cringed more when he realized in what position they were. He was holding Seto from the behind, his arms tightly wrapped around his abdomen, and his crotch was right up against Seto's ass. And if this weren't enough, Seto, in an attempt to hold his balance, had spread his legs to steady himself, holding from the bars at either side of the stairs.

_Oh my God oh my God oh my God!_ Joey didn't know were to hide himself. He couldn't even imagine the beat up he'd receive for that afterwards. Moneybags was just going to remind him of this for the rest of his life! And of course, it would be his fault!

"No, no…" He heard him saying, and then he got scared. What if Seto thought…? "…Please tell me we didn't break anything!" What? To his outmost surprise, Seto steadied himself and ran towards the suitcases.

Joey picked up the suitcase he had dropped, and shook it. "Nope. Everything's fine here." Said, not hearing any pieces rambling inside.

Seto sighed with relief. "Thank God…" And he picked up the two suitcases he had dropped. "Come on, let's go upstairs. She can carry the bag at the car alone…" He shrugged. Joey didn't trust his mouth to speak, so he just followed promptly.

When they reached outside Irma's door, however, he tried: "Uh… Seto… I'm sorry…"

Seto turned and faced him. "Nah, don't worry pup. We didn't break anything. After all, you saved me from a very nasty fall. Thanks."

Joey gaped at him. That was it? No yells, no sarcastic comments? But then, understanding, he smiled, a genuine smile. "Heh, you're welcome!" Moneybags was a very nice guy after all… His smile turned into a wolfish grin. "I'm going to go now… Shall we wait for you both, or… you'll be late?" Was it his imagination, or the cheeks of the High and Mighty CEO had turned red?

"Not, but we'll come with my car." Seto tried his best to glare.

"Oooohh… I see." Now it was Joey's turn to smirk. "Well…" He dug into his shirt pocket, and got something out, handing it to the brunet.

"What the hell…"

"Oh, come on. Poor guy, you didn't even recognize it?" Joey continued smirking, as Seto's cheeks were growing red. "It's a condom." Joey leaned towards Seto. "Aim well." He whispered, and then took off, literally jumping above the stairs.

However, he couldn't avoid the next: "I just did." Smiled Seto, as he threw it with force onto Joey's head, completely hitting upon its target. Joey made a grimace and disappeared.

Inside, Irma was fuming. Oh Gods, how many troubles, how many problems to be solved. She sighed heavily once more. She was so stressed…

So much, that she didn't even notice the door of her apartment opening, then closing and getting locked. She had drifted in her own dreamland.

Two warm arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and she felt her breath hitch. As the warm breath tickled the side of her neck and her left ear, she felt it:

She was doomed.

"Well?" Seto's deep voice caused her to close her eyes, hypnotizing her. She surrendered to the slumber like sinking into warm water. "What exactly explains a lot?"

Now or Never.

**A/N: **At laast. Attention everybody: The next chapter is going to be the last of this story. After that, a new story in ancient Egypt will follow, and after that, the sequel of "As Far As We Can Get". Maybe with some oneshots in-between. Also, a question: Do you think I should try and put a lemon? I'm warning you, it's going to be _really_ kinky if I do. And if you have a request or some answers, now it's the time, guys. REVIEW! XD Pls?


	19. As Far As We Can Get

A/N: Hello

**A/N:** Hello! Welcome to the very last chapter of this fic! It had to end, sometime – sniff – but honestly I've realized that my writing ability was somewhat deflated to the last chapters, in comparison with the previous ones. Funny, usually it's the other way around. So it just doesn't last anymore, and it has to stop. I'd like to make the chapters 20 than 19, but oh, well…

**WARNING:** This chapter contains graphic content and sexual themes that may disturb some readers – namely MAJOR LEMON ahead! If you aren't into this kind of thing, and it just disgusts you, then DON'T read. (Just scroll down the scene) Also warning: This is the first lemon I've ever written.

**Disclaimer:** And for the last time in this fic, I unfortunately don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And W.I.T.C.H. If I did, I wouldn't write in here now! (No, probably I would. They don't allow porn in these anime. Okay? I admit it!)

Chapter 19: As Far As We Can Get

"_What exactly explains a lot?"_

Inside his warm embrace, Irma turned to stare in the eye the man had had captivated her poor heart from the very first time, though she was too stubborn to admit it. Him and his unique eyes. Those breath-taking blue eyes and their eerie aura that were putting the greatest sapphires in shame and her body on fire.

She ran shamelessly her hands upon his wide chest and his broad shoulders, causing him to moan inwardly and close his sapphire orbs, tilting his head ever slightly backwards. Seeing him like that… it was just _enjoyable_. Too bad there were still the clothes in their way…

She felt his dexterous hands cupping and caressing the ring of her waist, and she smiled. Skip the previous part. It wouldn't last for long. His hands traveled all over her back, the one only to end up where it had started from, and the other burying itself inside her brown locks, caressing the skin of her head.

Before Irma could register what had happened, Seto had jerked her forwards and captured her lips with his. It wasn't like their previous kiss. That kiss was just an impulse. This kiss that they were sharing now had only emotions to show, honest feelings hidden far away for so long, which now were coming to surface. Irma closed her eyes and moaned into it. There was nothing to say, there was nothing to tell.

They fought for dominance and Seto gave in at the start, only giving her a good five seconds to explore the sweetness of his mouth – Irma had never thought that someone could taste so good – before he pushed his tongue in her mouth roughly, turning the kiss from a gentle and careful one to an almost animalistic passionate one. He explored every inch of her mouth, pushing his tongue wherever it could get, and shoving her backwards, his hands still on her waist, until her back collided with force on the wall. She let out a groan.

And still, Seto wouldn't stop. While he continued his abuse with her mouth, his hands started to roam desperately her back and waist, once again. When he pulled away for breath, Irma had the chance to stare in his eyes. God, she had never seen them so dark before… dark with pure lust and hot passion, and maybe… affection…

But of course, there was no comparison with hers, the fiery sea-green ones. She wanted Seto Kaiba? She would get Seto Kaiba. Hard. He looked at his frame hungrily, and grabbed him from the collar, bringing him closer, until his torso collided with hers. She smirked, and one of her legs went to encircle his waist, his crotch right at her sensitive area.

Seto hissed, he couldn't take it anymore. In no time, her top had been ripen off and he was staring hungry and satisfied at her chest, now with only one black bra to hide her breasts, raising and falling rapidly with each deep breath, while she was trying to regain some self-control. He almost laughed out loud, evilly. Control? Oh, no… bad girl.

The bra soon followed the top, and now it was her time to hiss. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her head around. Seto looked victoriously at his prize. Cheeks flushed, eyes shut, bitten lips, neck exposed, and her bare breasts… He wasted no time, and latched his mouth on a nipple, sucking as roughly and viciously as he could, teeth nipping hard. Irma let her eyes open, along with the scream:

"Setooo!!"

He let a small laugh, while he had still her nipple in his mouth – and he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. Irma gasped, moaned and withered under his touch. No one had ever offer her so much pleasure, how was that possible? Oh yeah… she actually desired that man.

As she had never desired anybody, anyone, anything else.

Seto decided that he had spared enough time to that task. He moved at the other nipple, which received exactly the same treatment, and he got the same reaction from his prey, then lapped at the collarbone and nipped at her neck. He sucked to a particular spot, to mark her as his. She groaned and he looked satisfied at the red skin, his hands now cupping her breasts, and his fingers twisting the nipples between them.

"Ah – nghh…" Was the only sound Irma could get out at the moment. But she needed to speak… they couldn't let this happen in there… "B-bedroom…" She managed to stutter, after some really hard tries.

With one fluid movement, Seto picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to the bed. She let things happen; just to flow, and suddenly she felt the soft mattress bouncing under her weight. She looked up, only to see Seto still standing. And stripping. She arched an eyebrow, enjoying the show. The trench coat was soon discarded, lying across the floor. Seto took carefully the locket with the picture of his brother and placed it inside the drawer of the tallboy nearby. "I'd prefer not having him seeing." He commented, and Irma laughed.

Soon enough, the black shirt and the black boots had followed the trench coat. Irma kneeled and reached for the waistband of his pants, grabbing it and dragging it, along with him, near. Seto chuckled, and she looked up at him, smirking. Much to her delight, she heard the soft click, and she unzipped the black leather pants, shoving them down. Along with the boxers. Seto almost shivered.

_Well… probably the saying about the big hands was right. _Irma thought mischievously. But before she could do or say anything else, she was shoved flat onto the mattress, while Seto was occupied with her own shoes and pants. She closed her eyes, and felt him tugging her jeans down.

Now that they were both completely naked, Seto climbed onto the bed as well, leaning forwards and placing his hands at either side of her head. They stayed still for some moments, just staring at each other, trying to figure out how lucky they were. That, until Irma smiled and placed her hands on Seto's abs, caressing them and enjoying how tight and muscled they were.

Seto smiled as well. "I would prefer your hands a little lower… but that's just fine with me." With one hand he grabbed her ass and he used the other to spread her legs apart.

He frowned playfully at her wolfish grin. She tilted her head up and whispered darkly in his ear: "You'd be surprised if you learnt what exactly I have in mind for you… But for now… just fuck me, Seto."

The last part made Seto almost lose his self-control, grab her hips and start pounding into her. But no… he wanted to make her _scream_ first… And for what she had in mind, well… he had something as well. "Just be patient…" He retorted, rubbing one of her nipples with his thumb, which was already hard from his previous ministrations. He nipped lightly at it, and then proceeded down. To her stomach, her navel, her abdomen, and lower…

Her hands darted down and grabbed fistfuls of his chestnut hair, while she was biting her lower lip as hard as she could, until it bled. She was hurting him with the harsh tugging, but he didn't complain. His tongue remained at her clitoris, rubbing the soft flesh lightly and hesitantly, as to torment her and only.

She couldn't take it anymore. "SETO!" She screamed, leaving all sense behind. She was tossing her head from side to side, never stopping. She opened her legs wider, as wide as she could. "I want you, Seto…" He entered a finger at her wet canal and she screamed in delight and longing. "I _need_ you, Seto… I need you inside of me! All of you!" She managed to choke out, her chest going up and down rapidly.

Seto closed his eyes and continued finger-fucking her. He liked the fact that she was a screamer… It was turning him on with the most forbidden of ways. But he could hold himself no more. He took his fingers out, and she suppressed a moan of protest, for she knew what it would follow.

Seto lead the head of his cock in her entrance, as slowly and gently as he could. She growled in irritation, and he gave her a sardonic smile; he knew what he was doing. Irma cursed silently. She wanted him inside, damn it! And he was getting into her… though his thrusts were weak and slow. When half of his hard cock was inside her, he pushed back, and then forwards again. Her desire was _hurting_ her.

Her eyes snapped open. "I know what you're doing." _The bastard wanted her to plead!_

Seto leaned forwards, his trademark smirk dominating his features. "Then? What are you waiting for?"

She closed her eyes again, and moaned as sensually as she could, sending shivers through his spine. She might as well give him what he wanted. Then she could get afterwards what _she _wanted. "Fuck me Seto… please fuck me… fuck me hard…"

It didn't take a second thought. Her hips were roughly seized, and with one rapid thrust, Seto buried himself inside her to the hilt, letting out a gasp. Irma couldn't even scream from the pleasure. She felt her whole world tilt, arching her back out of her bed and keeping her eyes wide open. Seto, of course, didn't stop there. He pulled back and then he gave another hard thrust. As time was passing, he was building up the rhythm, making his each thrust harder and faster than the previous.

Irma couldn't stop screaming, the pleasure he was giving her was indescribable. The way his cock was caressing her inner walls was driving her completely crazy. "Harder Seto, faster!" She was calling, writhing like a wild animal beneath him, turning him even more on, while she was _So wonderfully tight, damn it!_ It was all he could think while he was fucking her. The pleasures were fucking unbelievable!

When she felt her tighten around him, it has his time to cry out lout, as he was relishing inside her. Their orgasm came almost simultaneously, as they both cried out a pleasure they could only imagine or dream of. After some more thrusts, Seto pulled slowly out of her and let himself fall above her, careful not to crash her with his weight. It took some minutes for their breaths to calm down.

Irma looked at the man lying above her. She smiled. She treasured him. Seto saw her smiling and kissed her sweetly, mesmerizing her savor, and then he buried his face at the crook of her neck. "I could wait no more." He whispered.

"Me too." The smile never let her face. "But don't think this is over." Her smile transformed into the previous grin, and he looked at her intensely.

"I don't want this to be over, Irma! Did you thought that…" He prevented himself from creating a mellow scene by shutting instantly up. Her gaze softened and she placed lovingly a finger on his lips.

"I meant the current love-making." She reassured him, looking at him warmly and kissing his lips chastely. "Our… relationship… is something better to be talked about later."

Seto's expression changed into a very playful, and… twisted one. "You have something in mind?" Irma mimicked that expression, thing that said: Oh, yeah… "Well bring it on!"

He didn't understood how quickly they switched places. Suddenly, he was lying on his back, and she was above him, straddling him. Seto took his time to enjoy the full view of her naked body. She smirked, and got a very bossy attitude: "Well now, Seto Kaiba… I want you to promise me that you'll be a good boy."

He smirked as well. "And what if I say no?"

Her smile was sardonic, as the gleam in her eyes. "Well, I guess in that case…" She opened the bottom drawer of the tallboy and took out something silver. Seto leaned to see better, but Irma captured his lips in a lip lock, making him close his eyes instinctively… and open so when he heard the click.

Irma pulled away to look at her handiwork. And marvel it. Seto's proud body was lying beneath her, cheeks flushed and trying to look upwards, where both of his wrists were cuffed right above his head in a pair of silver chains. The fact that he wasn't smiling didn't escape her notice.

She leaned down and kissed him in reassurance. He was capable of thinking… God knows. "I'm not hurting you, Seto… I'd die before I hurt you. Don't be afraid, I won't do to you something you won't enjoy. Do you trust me, love?" She whispered in his ear, and never reached to meet his eyes. However, she felt him inhale in her hair.

"Of course I do." She heard the faint whisper. She kissed his lips one more time, and then, after she nipped at his earlobe, she started a flaming path of feather light kisses from his jaw line to his torso. She took her time with his nipples, torturing them as he had previously tortured hers, and then dipped her tongue into his navel. She heard him moan and felt him shudder. Smirking, she looked up at him, only to see him closing his beautiful sapphires. Good. That made things less uncomfortable, if not at all.

Seto bit his lower lip. So, this is what it felt being submissive. He wanted so much to grab her and pin her down… and he couldn't move his hands! It was irritating… taking all the pleasure _she_ was willing to give him, and not taking it by himself, God damn it, when this was over, he would show her! Her touch was setting him on fire, and… "Irma…" He moaned. No. He shouldn't have done that! But he needed more… it was a pure torture of pleasure!

And then, he felt one of her fingers entering him.

He froze for a moment, and then squirmed. "Shush. I know what I'm doing." He heard her whispering. His cheeks were stained deep red, he knew what she was going to do as well, and it was… embarrassing. There was no pain, or discomfort, perhaps because he had relaxed under her touch before. But now that he was uptight again, when she started to work her finger into him, it stung… he hissed.

And then screamed. She had just touched his sweet spot.

Irma grinned evilly, as she continued caressing that particular spot, or rather just tease it… She looked up at him; he was shoving himself up and then forward, trying to hit that spot harder… "I call that payback." She stated, and he preferred to close his eyes again. "What?" She pretended asking. "You thought I would be the only one here to be fucked?" A second finger entered him, accompanying the other one in its mission, and it didn't hurt at all, instead it..._ Oooh_… Later he… would teach her a lesson… yeah… gods… he would never ask for harder… no…

Her gaze softened, and she shoved her fingers into him as fast and hard as she could, watching him tossing his head and struggling to suppress his screams. She smirked and then leaned down, taking his hard, throbbing cock inside her mouth, and bobbing her head up and down in the same rhythm she was finger-fucking him. His gasps, moans, whimpers… Seto Kaiba all for herself on a silver plate. Was there something more pleasurable? The answer was yes… what she would do afterwards. When he cried out and she felt his cock ready to come in her mouth, she pulled her head and fingers away. Seto looked at her with longing. She wouldn't leave now, would she?

Of course she wouldn't. She tossed her brown locks at the side, as she went on and straddled him. They looked at each other only for a moment, and she saw the smallest hint of a smirk on his face. She came crashing down on him, her wet, hot canal embracing his aroused member. Seto screamed once more and she allowed herself a deep sigh of pleasure. She pulled up and then came down again. Her movements were becoming even harder with each passing moment, and she had to restrain herself from screaming too loud, so did Seto. When she tightened again around him, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his torso, their bodies attached tightly to each other. She hissed when she felt his seed filling her insides, and she heard with complete satisfaction his final crying out.

They remained like this for some minutes, afraid to tell anything, to ruin the moments. Then Irma pulled out and rolled at the side, locking eyes with him. He smirked. "Nice job." He commented, and she giggled, and then proceeded to unlock the chains.

Mistake. As soon as Seto's wrists were free, his expression turned into the most wild she had ever seen. He seized her wrists roughly, and a shadow of fear passed through her sea – green eyes. "Now, it's time for _my_ payback." He chuckled sardonically. "And I don't need chains. Get on your knees."

She would have obeyed, no matter, but he didn't wait. He grabbed her waist and flipped her over, and holding her from her abdomen, he got her on her knees. Then, he spread her cheeks and positioned himself.

Irma knew what he was about to do, so she closed her eyes tightly, bit her lip and balled the sheets in her fists, bracing herself for the pain that would follow. She knew that anal sex was traumatic, could even rip skin off… she let out a strangled cry. That turned out to a gasp, when she felt his cock filling her vagina. At first, she was too shocked to respond to his brutal thrusts, but then she started pushing back. He was rougher than before, but that was even better… What was he, at last? The sex God? He had come two times already, and he was ready for more? Well… she certainly couldn't complain.

Now it was _she _that she was at his mercy, but that was just fine… He fell on her and grabbed her breasts, his thrusts never ceasing. Irma felt herself reaching her climax for a third time. "Setooo… oh… ah!" She fell face down into the mattress and he laid above her, embracing tightly her frame so their bodies were one. They both remained so, quietly savoring the pleasures of their actions… Actions they both knew, they might be forbidden, but they didn't regret it, for nothing in the world.

Seto rolled on the side, getting out of his lover's compliant body, and laid himself at her left, his back onto the mattress. Irma remained as she had fallen. Seto looked at her face. She had her eyes closed, and her mouth forming an impalpable smile. He smiled as well, and proceeded removing some bangs from her forehead. As soon as he did this, her sea-green eyes snapped open to dart themselves on his sapphires.

She purred and held his hand within hers, rubbing her cheek with it. "Thank you." She flashed him a genuinely sweet smile, her eyes once again closed.

"No, no… Thank _you_." Seto rolled more closely to her, laying at the right side of his body. The smile never left his lips, and it was so beautiful… Even if they hadn't just done sex, or better, love, Irma would be equally happy if anyone, or in any other way, could bring that smile to his lips. "I couldn't ask for something more." His eyes went downcast, and Irma understood that it was probably because he didn't want to show any emotional effect on him.

She let him be. She wouldn't pester him about it; he had the right to be as he decided to be. She came closer to him and snuggled in his chest. They were naked, but that was fine… Irma couldn't remember of a time she was happier. Even if he had managed to scare her a little, he showed her that no matter the circumstances or the obvious, he would never hurt her. He proved that when he chose not to… do very weird things… even though she had done something… Her cheeks were stained deep red at the memory.

"I know what you're thinking…" Seto's mischievous voice blocked her train of thoughts. She tilted her head up and looked at him curiously. Oh-oh, he was smirking… "Nice play, but the score is 2-1 and it's in my favor."

Her face was now glowing red. "Couldn't we at least do it 2-1,5?"

He frowned. "Why?"

"Do you want me to analyze it?" She took the expression I-state-the-obvious. It was the turn of his cheeks to go red.

"Fine… Either way, I win." He noticed that her expression was ready to explode, and he laughed benevolently. "Oh, come on here." He took her in his arm and stared in her eyes. "I'm just teasing you. Being here with you is above the all the other. So I leave out all the rest."

Irma's expression softened immediately when she started giggling. Then she leaned forward, until her forehead was touching Seto's. "I know that, love." She kissed him passionately, trying to show all her emotions in one kiss. Seto returned it eagerly. It took time for them to pull apart. They didn't want to. But eventually they had, and when they did so, they stared at each other eyes, not being able to get enough of it. That, until Irma frowned.

"Wait a minute… Weren't we supposed to be somewhere else, right now?"

They both sweat-dropped.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

"Now what? We're going to tell them about us?"

"Strangely enough, I don't think we'll have to." Seto's voice had _some_ hints of sarcasm. Irma dug at her purse, to retrieve her cell phone. They were inside Seto's Porsche, on their way to the Domino Arcade.

After a while, Hay Lin's voice filled the car. "Hello guys! Were have you been? Come on, Tea and Mai are competing in Dance Dance Revolution! It has FUN!"

Irma had to hold the cell phone half a meter away from her ear, in order not to get deaf. Truth was, Hay Lin had to speak loud because of the VERY loud music that was filling the air, as the cheers of the people around. "Relax Hey Hay, just tell us were exactly are you, we're coming right ahead."

"Oh, we're not together, not usually! I'm with Tristan right now, Tea and Mai are in DDR, Yugi found a redhead girl, Sam, and took off for somewhere with her, Joey and Mokuba are dueling and Duke is flirting..."

"Ok, bye-bye." Irma closed the cell phone with one quick movement. "Where to, Seto?"

Seto thought about the options. He wanted to see Mokuba first, but he was with Joey and if he went to him the whole arcade would know about his love-life in a record time, that's because of Joey's enthusiasm. The next option was Tea, but there was a reason why Joey and Mai were glued to each other. He would never annoy the others with their flirts… "Let's go to Tea and Mai. We'll see how they're doing with dancing." Irma nodded hurryingly.

It wasn't hard for them to find the DDR section. Most of the people in the arcade were gathered here, cheering and whistling at the two girls over the machine. Tea's movements were excellent technically, years and years of training wouldn't let this go that easily. But Mai was… Mai. Competitive, passionate and breath taking. It was a very fierce battle, Irma mused amusingly.

Tea saw them first. She told Mai and both girls decided to end the game standoff. They jumped in the ground together, under the crowd's applause. Both of them had sweated, but they figured Seto and Irma (Seto wasn't all that hard to find – he had his ways to 'be spotted'.) and ran towards them.

"Where have you been, honeys?" Mai asked them smiling. "It has been two hours since we got in here!"

"Irma and I had some things to sort of figure out." Seto answered simply, passing his arm over Irma's shoulders, making her blush. It was so… obvious…

And Mai didn't miss such kind of things. "GOSH! YOU TWO ARE…"

"For the love of God, Mai!" Irma caught the blonde's squealing by slapping a hand over her mouth, and keeping it there. Seto sweat-dropped, well there was the reason – they were too loud. Imagine their children… He shivered.

He looked at Tea, usually she was loud too, but she was more cautious at these things. She found cerulean eyes looking at him, wide with wonder. There wasn't any other emotion, just wonder. Questions. Queries. Her lips were also parted slightly.

For some reason, this information couldn't be registered it Tea's mind. Her eyes were always expressive, always showing her emotions. And there was only one emotion right now. Only one and honest emotion. Wonder.

Her thoughts went far behind, back to the days of them being twelve-year-old, ignorant kids. Her first kiss… her first true friend. The first fears, the first bonds, the first trust. Having something like this… It meant he had moved on. Oh yes, he had moved on from then on, but something was holding behind… Until now.

"Big Brother! I beat Joey in the duel!" Mokuba came running towards Seto, waving his hand. Joey was following, especially grumpy.

"You wouldn't have, if I…"

"Didn't have your eyes in the DDR! Special advice from a Kaiba, Joe: The next time, pay more attention to your cards and less to Mai's legs." Mokuba giggled victoriously.

Joey's face went bright red, so did Mai's, but in her eyes you could clearly see the deep flattering. Tea looked at them. Yugi, Duke and Tristan were nowhere to be found… Seems like everyone had moved on…

Flashback

"SETO!" An almost hyperventilating 12-year-old Tea was hopping at the other side of the fence. It was the heart of autumn, so both kids were wrapped tightly inside their jackets. The leaves from the trees had gotten their sweetest golden hue, some of them laying decorating the ground, some other adorning the trees, which would soon enough get bare, and some other swirling in the air, at the rhythm of the wind.

_Seto came running towards her. "What's wrong?" He didn't waste time asking._

_She pouted, than grinned. "Nothing is wrong, Seto! Instead, everything is more than fine! Today is your birthday! Don't tell me you forgot!"_

_Seto sighed. 25 October. He knew Tea would remember it. _

"_Happy birthday Seto-kun!" Tea was almost squealing. "You'll invite me at your birthday party, won't you?" She was so excited._

_Seto's eyes darted onto the ground, "Sorry Tea, there isn't going to be a birthday party."_

_Her eyed widened. "Why?"_

"_I have too much work to do…" Seto made a motion like he was trying to shove away an annoying flea. "I'm sorry."_

_Tea remained silent for some moments. "Well…" She took a box from inside her beige jacket. "Either way, I bought you a present." She handed it to Seto, looking at him with affection._

_Seto scanned it thoroughly. It was a deep blue box, adorned by a light blue ribbon, which was forming a bow in the center. It looks like the hue differences in our eyes, Seto mused. He pulled the ribbon and opened the box, to face its contents._

_At first, it was like duel monsters cards. When he proceeded to take them, he felt cool glass upon his fingers. He took them out, only to notice they were two lockets. They were opening in two and Seto realized they were like mini-cornices. Thought in the front they appeared as duel monsters cards…_

"…_You can put a photo inside." Tea completed his thoughts. "So every time you wear it, you can take a look in your loved ones, and they can do the same. That's what the second locket is for." She explained._

_Seto looked at her, his eyes reflecting happiness and gratitude. "Thank you." He whispered. "It was the best birthday gift I could hope for." _

_His eyes… those eyes…_

_Tea didn't answer. Instead, she let her eyes and the wind form the answer for him._

End of Flashback

Tea looked at the lockets clinging onto the brothers' chests. They hadn't taken them off. They would never take them off, that, Tea knew. She met Seto's gaze and they both smiled, leaving everything behind…

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

Yugi's cell phone rang rather strangely. It felt like more power had been put upon it than usual, it was peculiar. Sam had just left and he was about to go and find the others, when it rang like that. He picked it up somewhat hesitantly.

"Hello?"

"Hello." He heard a female from the other end of the line. "Is that Yugi Moto I'm speaking with?"

"The same."

"My name is Wilhelmina Vandom."

Yugi's eyes widened with suspicion. Wasn't she the girl who had sold herself to Phobos to keep the others safe? Yes, she was. "What do I owe the pleasure?" His voice was cold.

"Irma has spoken about me, hasn't she?" The voice was kinda hesitant.

"Yes, she has. As for the sacrifices you've made." Yugi's tone was informing, but it changed at the next second. "What's the matter is everything alright?" It softened.

"I called exactly for this." Yugi could feel the smile behind the line. "Everything is alright. You don't have to worry." Will held tightly the phone's wire. "Live your lives… Live them without fear. And if something comes in your way… You shall know you have plenty of allies in Heatherfield… At least."

With those mysterious words, Will hang up, leaving Yugi wondering. At least she thought so. Because Yugi had understood every word.

Love… can make things not so difficult, after all. He smiled, and sent greetings to Atem, looking at the sky ruling them over. He spotted his friends not so far away. He ran towards them, noticing happily Seto and Irma's forms.

Irma was contemplating. "What are you thinking?" Seto whispered in her ear.

"Nothing… everything…" She replied at first, then turned to face him, her sea-green eyes contacting with his magnificent gems. "Now where to, Seto?" She asked, almost as previously. He arched an eyebrow. "I mean… how far?" And she looked at the horizon.

He smiled, and looked at the sky like Yugi had done before. He held her more tightly.

"As far as we can get." His whisper was.

SXIXSXIXSXIXSXI

That's the first conclusion of the story. After that, Seto asked Irma to move into the Kaiba Mansion. She kindly refused, but they were passing their days together, as they could, and they were happy. There was always something new in their relationship, trying to make every day special and not let it go down in casualty and boredom. Joey and Mai got together soon afterwards, confessing their feelings being the most awkward situation for them… and the happiest afterwards. Yugi continued seeing Sam, and Tristan with Hay Lin made an effort with their sentiments. Duke was always searching in the others and in himself, but after meeting Clover, one of Sam's friends, he stopped fooling. Tea decided to follow her dream. Her dance was everything that matter – it was the second priority in the list, right after her friends. Mokuba decided also that he would follow his dream, and he started taking care of orphanages and took part in charities and peaceful organizations – he even got registered in Green Peace, WWF, and even Seto was teasing him, he was happy for him. Every once in a while, they were receiving phone calls and cards from Serenity, explaining her peaceful and satisfying life with Martin. She was visiting every Christmas and every time, Joey didn't want to let her go.

I'm not the narrator of this story. That is a very petty summary of what happened afterwards, the things I know for sure. I sit and see through my window, the same window for what it was declared to be the end of an old and the start of a new circle of events, so many years ago. The truth is, there are no such things. Fate has chains to keep us down. We can change it, but we cannot escape from it.

Thinking about our sins… about _my_ sins. It's difficult. It hurts. As it should be, otherwise what would be the meaning?

There is no God. At least, I don't believe in God.

I believe in atonement.

The room is full of their pictures. The people I described earlier, or my sins, you'll ask. It's neither. It's both. They are identical meanings, can't figure the one without the other. Because they don't exist so.

Looking back in the sorrow… Only one name in my lips. In my mind. In my soul.

Seto.

You're my atonement. You'll never believe me, you'll never forgive me, and you'll never forget me, though you'll try hard. I don't deserve forgiving, and I'll never ask for it. I'll try to earn it instead. It's dark, yes; it's dark in here… It's the bottom. From the bottom, there's only two ways to go: Lying there, letting yourself to be forgotten, rotten, or rising up. I'll try just to get a little up… only a little. Only to see the light at the end of the shaft.

Because Seto, my atonement… will be in the end. I know that something will happen. I know it always does. I know you'll be in trouble again. I know you will put you life in the line. And I know that now, the stakes are much higher.

I know you can't win forever.

I'll help you. With my way, I will. You may think it's over… But I'll try to make things better. I'll save whatever stays behind. I'll save it, to make it the way it was supposed to be. Treat it the way it was supposed to be with you, and me, from the very first day. How I should have treated _you_. All the things I lost being blind… I'll try to bring back.

Because my son… your stepfather… me… Gozaburo Kaiba… wasn't always blind. Wasn't always a monster. At least, the monster you think of me being… And maybe you're right.

Helping you, Seto, I'll try to reach the atonement.

God keep you well son, God bless you. I may not believe in God, I may have it beaten out of you… We don't have any proof that it exists… we haven't any proof that it doesn't either.

You, and the girl with the sea-green eyes… I doubt if you'll ever see me again. But I'm seeing you.

May God bless you all.

THE END – OWARI.

(But don't let that fool you)

**A/N: **Sorry! Sorry, Sorry, SO sorry for the TERRIBLE delay!! I was waiting for my new computer, but because of my bad luck, f as jac yes, we've been waiting, you, and me, for over a month! So I took the risk with my old one. I hope you enjoyed my story, I was so sad when it ended, thanks for everyone who reviewed; you're my best friends people I LOVE YOU!!


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